A Synopsis of the Movie Down in the Delta

Experiencing further unstable environments, these children are forced to move from one foster home to another. They rarely develop meaningful relationships and constantly endure lack of care and protection by adults. Sabreen, another gifted student, was able to excel in school despite her unstable environments. She, too, became a ward of the county battling to find a stable home, constantly being placed in unstable environments, environments that do not encourage any achievement. When her situation becomes untenable, she goes AWOL, like Olivia, refusing to return to county supervision. Corwin masterfully frames the problem that wards, like Olivia and Sabreen, face when they feel that going back into the system is not an option. The additional struggles can be seen through Olivia and Sabreen accepting jobs with long hours in order to make enough to pay their bills. The responsibility on taking care of themselves financially detracts from their studies, which quickly can become a vicious, never-ending cycle.

The family consists of the mother Beth, father Calvin, and their son Conrad who are living in the aftermath of the death of the oldest son Buck. Conrad, who has attempted suicide and hospitalized because he inability to overcome grief and misplaced guilt, and therapy as way to feel more in control. Beth on the other hand always favored Buck and does not connect with Conrad. Whereas, the father Calvin is trapped in trying to hold the family together, but those pressures are building and he is coming to realizations of his own.

No matter what background you come from or how you were raised, family is extremely important. According to Malinowski, “Family is a necessary institution for fulfilling the task of child rearing in society”(Conley, 2013). Society has come a long way when it comes to family and it is much different than it was in the 1950’s. Not all families are nuclear families. A nuclear family is having a mother, father, and children that are all biological (Conley, 2013). This kind of family is what some would call more “traditional.” Today in the twenty first century it is getting harder and harder to find families that have actually stayed together. There are so many different kinds of families in today’s society, and more and more families are becoming blended families. A blended family is when two families come together (Conley, 2013). Many families today have single mons, single, dads, and even same sex parents. Family is not always the people that live in the same house as you, family also consists of extended family. An extended family is a network that goes beyond the main “nuclear” family (Conley,

In today’s world, families are dynamic and interdependent systems. The developmental processes of the children in the family are deeply affected by how the family system operates. However, a family’s structure does not determine whether it is a healthy family system or not. Today, families consist of single parents, stepparents, divorced parents, remarried parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. They are all able to contribute to a healthy functioning family system by meeting each family member’s needs and encouraging positive communication (Jamiolkowski, 2008). Unhealthy family systems have negative and possibly

In the same fashion, dealing with Maureen Walls, the youngest child of the Walls family, had to rely on her friends and people she hardly knew to provide for her. This situation went as far as Maureen going to her friend’s house to eat meals and

Rose Mary and Rex Walls did not have the future they had hoped they would. They had four beautiful and intelligent children: Lori, Jeannette, Brian, and Maureen, that they had the privilege of raising. However, that is not how they viewed them. Rose Mary is an aspiring artist who never wanted a family, and Rex is a very bright individual, but it is overshadowed by his alcohol addiction. Growing up their kids had to learn how to fend for themselves. However, this brought them closer together as siblings, and taught them how to fight together. “But we always fought back, usually as a team,” (165). The children learned how to protect each other against offenders, even when it came to their parents. To illustrate, it became very evident that they have to provide for themselves when the children find their own mother hiding chocolate from them. “She told us we should forgive her the same way we always forgave Dad for his drinking. None of us said a thing,”(Walls 174). She didn’t think about feeding the whole family when they were going hungry, she only thought about herself. The family was not very financially stable because their father enjoyed spending their money instantaneously, instead of saving it, so hiding something even small like chocolate from her kids is a big deal. This is what Jeannette’s whole childhood consisted

One of the strengths that Gladys she wants a better life for her three daughters. She is aware that she is raising her three young girls in an abusive environment and is seeking help.

Carl explain the dynamics of the family and how important it was to have Don at the initiation of the family session, and asked the family to think if they wanted to be a part of the family they are in, and if they did to call and set up a time for the next session with Don include. Dave did not hesitate and agreed to set up an appointment then and there; he looked over at his wife and asked he if she agreed. Carolyn agreed and towards the end of the session Carl connected with Laura the youngest daughter by engaging her in dialog and asking what she thought about everything that was going on in the family. By doing this Carl was able to show the family how every member of the family has a valuable place in therapy, and it is not just about one person.

It was during those years that her world had seemed to be turned upside down. All her and her children's needs were the responsibility of her husband, now that he was out of the picture, she had to take on the role of sole provider for her family. "The toughest part was the feeling of hopelessness, "She starts. "Everything I knew, all the the things I had hoped for were gone. I had a feeling of embarrassment being back home, as if I had failed. Now my children were looking to me. I knew that something needed to be done. My parents were always the example of working hard, and that is when I began to take stock of my talents. Don't get me wrong, its not like I changed overnight, I had to do what I needed to do. I worked at least two to three jobs at a time to pay the bills and eventually saved up enough to move out of my parent's house... again," she smiles.

Falicov, C.J., & Brudner-White, L. (1983). The shifting family triangle: The issue of cultural and

The family is a complex topic that can change drastically on a case by case basis. In the first portion of this sociological analysis of families, I will be looking into Carol B. Stack’s book All Our Kin. This case study focuses on a neighborhood known as Jackson Harbor, a place where being blood related to someone does not necessarily make you family. In addition, I will be analyzing the family situation of my friend Lauren Lynch. Through participant observation and an interview, I was able to uncover some useful details about her family that allowed me to analyze them through a sociological lens.

The role of intergenerational patterns is often used when referring to negative behaviors that are profoundly repeated throughout different generation (Birkenmaier, Berg-Weger & Dewees, 2014). Papero (2009) on the other hand, specifically linked the term intergenerational to relationship patterns that are being transmitted from one generation to another. To bring to light the immersion of intergenerational patterns, a brief understanding of Bowen’s Family Systems Theory is imperative. Bowen’s theory comprises of eight concepts and a major variable known as anxiety (Papero, 2014). All seven concepts address the family system while the eighth focus mainly on the social function of the society (Papero, 2014). In fact, one of the eighth concepts in Bowen theory is multigenerational transmission process playing an important role with intergenerational patterns. While conducting a systematic analysis of three generations within Lani family system, specific behaviors that were demonstrated were dysfunctional boundaries, marital outcomes, anxiety and transmission of parenting style.

The Bowen family systems theory can utilize to understand the Gillison’s family dynamics. According to the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family (2016) the Bowen family system theory views family as an emotional unit that utilizes systems thinking to comprehend the complexity of the interactions within the unit. The theory describes families as having a major influence on their member’s thoughts, feelings and actions, which leads them to feel as if they are composed of the same “emotional skin”. The members of families, according to this theory, are driven by each other’s attention, approval, and support. The members therefore, react to each other’s expectations and wants and needs. The family is therefore interdependent. One change in one member’s function leads to a change in the functioning of the others. This is evidence in the case of the Gillison family.

My family dynamical is framed surrounds traditional marriage. It features socialization, adaptation, describe formation, role-making, and self-concept development. Although conflicts have caused facing for a few of my family members. Initiating to divert from contextual beliefs positioning them in groups of matriarchy. Conflicts have impacted my family through divorces, children out of wedlock, and single women, parenting, attending the workforce, structuring childcare and independent gender responsibilities. Also cohabitation existence equates into the equation for survival measures. To no struggling with monthly obligations Enlighten by interactions symbolic and demonstrated the influences of history. Those family members restored power

For instance, Katharine has contacted the Family and Children’s Services to discuss the option of giving her unborn baby up for adoption. She is going against the wishes of her and James’ parents by not wanting to marry James and raise the baby together. Also, Katharine is very determined and set on the option on pursuing adoption. She wishes to give the baby a better future while allowing her and James to achieve a better life as well. In addition, Katharine is considering a career as a travel agent and knows that she would be able to handle college. In regards to her home life and upbringing, Katharine was face with many challenges. Her home was chaotic with her mother leaving the family and her father moving the family so often. Katharine is behind in school as a result, but is hopeful that she will be able to finish school and pursue a higher education. Due to her family history, Katharine has a strained relationship with her mother for leaving the family and with her father for always taking her mother back. Although Katharine has faced numerous challenges in her life, she is hopeful that she can create a better life for her and the baby by placing him/her up for adoption.