By Cynthia Voigt Book To Heart'

People often think of family as positive, loving, and with no flaws. However, there is almost a stereotype that all families love each other and there aren’t problems or challenges in a family. Sometimes families put people through challenges and some families aren’t “perfect”. In the book Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff, Jolly has two kids and goes through challenges with her family. Most careful readers can see how Jolly has these challenges with her kids and how she is far off from the “perfect” family. She goes through many of these challenges in life and finds a way to overcome them. Jollys family shapes her identity because the challenges she faces ends up making her stronger. Jeremy and Jilly challenging her, LaVaughn helping her out, and her past family all shape her identity.

In today’s society, family is often attempted to be organized within a social structure. Within this structure family typically is consisted of mom, dad, daughter, and son. However, many families do not fit into this configuration. These families may include same sex couples, separated or divorced families, extended families, or even blended families. Even though these families may be happy and healthy, to many they are not considered real families. Going along with the topic of imperfect families, both Barbara Kingsolver and Richard Rodriguez try to break down the traditional family structure through their writing. While Kingsolver’s “Stone Soup” and Rodriguez’s “Family Values” explore the ideas of different family structures and traditional American values, “Stone Soup” breaks down what an actual family is like while “Family Values” expresses the value of family in different cultures.

For such a small word, “Family,” can mean so much. In a dictionary one may read family as people with common ancestors, but a true family is people who stick together and support one another at any cost. Both books, Night by Elie Wiesel, and, Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand display the theme of family relationships throughout the story.

I am constantly drawn to the emotional staple in my family, support. Family support systems are just one of the most enriching, and rewarding aspects of daily family life. Through time the family archetype has gone through a tremendous amount of metamorphosis, including the most notable, and varying present-day version. No matter what creed, color, gender, sexuality, or demographic, the support system of today's families are astoundingly positive. Some people, like Ehrenreich, might say that families in and of themselves are a "nest of pathology," but when you look at families in the malls, parks, or other public places, the bruising, or outing of emotional tension, pressure, or abuse is non-existent.

others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.” My precept is that it lies at the heart of all

There is a big connection between our family and our identity. Family shapes us into the person we become and takes a big part in developing our identity. No matter if their influence is life changeable or not, their presence in our lives is enough to create changes. In the book, Hunger of Memory, Richard Rodriguez described his life as a Mexican-American trying to adapt to the new ways of life and how this has cause him to become distant with his family. On the other hand, in the essay, “The Love of My Life”, the author Cheryl Strayed discussed the affects her mother’s death had on her and her outlook in life. Both authors can relate in terms of the importance of how family helps in shaping one into the person they become. Although identities can be self-built, our families are important in the process because they provide the support needed to build and find identity.

An example of how her family values each other is her description of the conventions and norms of her family. They are thoroughly supportive of one another, attending every graduation, baby shower, birthday, and house warming party. Her father and siblings have burial plots together so that they are never separated. Life is lived with everyone being connected and concerned for not only each person’s well-being, but happiness as well. She says her “relatives form an alliance that represents a genuine and enduring love of family…”

Family is interpreted many different ways by many different people. In these two stories “Stepdaughters” by Max Apple and “Love Medicine” by Louise Erdrich, we will view the family dynamics differences and similarities.

Most families are complicated but supportive. For example, a family could argue a lot, but still love one another. In Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” mama still supports her daughters even though, they’re not around much. Their issues are not unique because my family has its issues, too. The family in “Everyday Use” and my family both have similarities and differences regarding siblings, bonds, and mothers.

In most cultures, family plays a big role in one’s life. Family helps shapes people into who they become by giving

Her second chapter examines the Devotion to Family Schema from the perspective of the family committed group, twenty-five women who left promising full-time business careers after having children. Through the lens of the family

My own personal experience plays a part here as I don’t believe my family was ever “fully actualized.” Independence and autonomy was stressed, however, warmth and connectedness between members was not. Feelings were definitely suppressed in my household growing up, and even today sharing openly feels awkward. Whitaker, as well as Satir, has inspired my theoretical framework because I see the importance of the affective or emotional layer of family interactions.

Louisa May Alcott is a prominent American Author that captured the hearts of many people with her heart-wrenching stories about family. In her most famous story, Little Women, one can see the effects of family on one's feelings. It shows that even in the midst of misfortune, one often looks onto their family for emotional support. Sometimes, that time of misfortune can derive from family troubles in its own. Though not always, the people closest to a person easily have the ability to influence his or her's feeling or mood, therefore it is clear that one's family has a great affect on a person's happiness.

Mary Pipher’s The Shelter of Each Other is a book about how family is an important part of anyone’s lives and how it is being threatened by our society. In Mary’s #1 New York Times BESTSELLING book she, through case examples, shows us the importance that families play in our lives. The influence and the role models they provide for us are key to any child’s development. She also discusses how our society is fighting against though family values that help us grow. Her book also has aspects of sociology that she uses in her methods. This book helps widen the eyes of people who are missing some key factors of raising a family.

Family bonds are created at home, where your heart is during your childhood and stays throughout your life. The house at 4015 Sherman Church Avenue is more than just a living space, it’s a place that has allowed me to advance my maturity through strengths and weaknesses, it reinforces the comfort that my family abides by, while memories are being constructed every day. From watching movies in the living room on the couch to having a colossal party occupying the backyard, we always try to keep each other sane long enough to get along. The four, eventually five, of us took adventurous risks together, planned yearly family vacations, and relaxed when possible. My family has, together, bonded closely in my home until we suddenly fell apart, it all started when my mom pleaded for divorce.