Modern Family Myth Essay - 1153 Words

Debunking the Modern Family Myth According to Stephanie Coontz in â€Å"What We Really Miss About The 1950’s†, the 1950’s were symbolic in terms of the nuclear American family. The â€Å"typical† nuclear American family structure consisted of an unemployed stay-at-home mom, working dad, a child or two, and a suburban home. In her article, she refers to the 1950’s as being the optimal time period for family’s where the ideology in television shows such as â€Å"Father Knows Best† and â€Å"Leave It To Beaver† was not just a depiction of how life was supposed to be lived, but an accurate portrayal of how life actually was back then. Today, the once commonly known family structure has been modified and tweaked and the standard image of a modern day family is no†¦show more content†¦Today’s culture seems to not be able to accept anything that is out of the norm. As a result, gay marriage has been under constant backlash due to the idea that the â₠¬Å"true marriage† and a â€Å"real family† is constituted by the union of a male and a female. Although the model family was previously seen as the union of a male and female back in the 1950’s, things change over time and with it news things are formed. With gay couples increasingly coming out and demanding their rights, the definition of the traditional family is being altered and along with it the disappearance of some American myths and traditions. We now live in the year 2013, and the same ideals that we possessed back in the 1950’s no longer function the same way today; many people are choosing not marry until a later age, and the divorce rate is at the highest it’s ever been, so how do we really define what a â€Å"real† and â€Å"traditional† American family is and who should be able to get a say in who gets to marry or not. With gay marriage becoming an increasingly popular discussion topic there exist constant feuding between which is right or not. We must think through it logically and ask ourselves: how does a homosexual couple not constitute as much of a family as a heterosexual couple? Gay marriage in American culture but more closely religious culture is primarily not accepted but in Evan Wolfson’s â€Å"What is Marriage†, what really constitutes a marriage these daysShow MoreRelatedLeslie Silkos, Yellow Woman: An Old Myth Changed into a Modern Story907 Words   |  4 Pagestale (or myth) is well illustrated in the story â€Å"Yellow Woman† by Leslie Silko. Not only is the story a modern explanation of a traditional Native American myth, but the style that Silko uses to tell it evokes and adapts the oral communication style that those old myths were passed down with. The story is also very self-consciously aware of its place as a modern revision of a myth, and makes many int ernal references to this aspect of itself. â€Å"Yellow Woman† becomes, in effect, the modern version ofRead MoreMovie Analysis : The Disney Company Essay1084 Words   |  5 PagesDisney, which has continued right up to present day. They are known for making big, colorful films aimed at children but also encompassing the family audience. They have adapted fairytales, told original stories, and adapted myth and legends throughout the years. In 1997 directors Ron Clements and John Musker created an adaptation of the well-known Greek myth of Hercules. In the Disney film Hercules is turned into a half god, half mortal by Hades by a poison. 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The re-telling of this usually depicts Persephone withRead MoreEssay about Frankenstein, the Modern Prometheus?1373 Words   |  6 PagesFRANKENSTEIN, THE MODERN PROMETHEUS? In order to illustrate the main theme of her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelly draws strongly on the myth of Prometheus, as the subtitle The Modern Prometheus indicates. Maurice Hindle, in his critical study of the novel, suggests, the primary theme of Frankenstein is what happens to human sympathies and relationships when men seek obsessively to satisfy their Promethean longings to conquer the unknown - supposedly in the service of their fellow-humansRead MoreThe Way We Never Were By Stephanie Coontz1135 Words   |  5 Pagesalso very indulged in the world of public debate on families, this mostly due possible because of her extensive skills to study modern families as well as historical patterns. In her book The Way We Never Were, Coontz presents a historical look at the family and how it has changed over time. Her interest in the subject comes for her need to understand how families functioned in the past and present, and what lead to notion and definition of family nowadays. The reason for the author to have writtenRead MoreIntroduction to Rereading America901 Words   |  4 Pageswith creating the ability to form perception is critical thinking. Talking about the power of cultural myths, the editors tell that cultural myths hold people together and influence in the way we relate to others. Greek mythology is maintained by the editors to compare it with American culture. Both Greek and American culture can benefit the society but they can also restrain the society in modern life. Although both give understanding in society about how they should react, their definition of successRead MoreThe Tolkien s The Hobbit862 Words   |  4 Pages We tend to think of myth as an untrue story or as an outdated explanation for a mystery long since cleared up by science, but myth is actually a framework of meaning, a set of collective fantasies that story our relationship to each other, the world and the universe. To tell a myth is to tell a culture s dream about its inner workings and truths. Myth does not convey these truths literally, however. A myth tells its tale through symbol, image and metaphor. They don t explain so much as offer anRead MoreThe Myth Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein Essay1204 Words   |  5 Pages(Wikipedia). This myth shared very similar component and structure with Shelley’s Gothic fiction, Frankenstein. Shelley’s Frankenstein was deeply influenced by the Prometheus myth ranging from the history of the title, the action of the main character, and the consequences of performing the action. When the book was first published, Mary Shelley gave a hint of the Prometheus origin in the name of the book. Her original title in 1818 for this book was called â€Å"Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.† After