Anglais Notion 2 : The idea of progress

Sujet du devoir

In order to study the notion of idea of progress, I would like to answer the following question: how does the evolution of society influence family structures? First of all, I would like to give a definition of this notion: the progress can be defined as an improvement or a social advance which contributes to making the world a better place. Indeed, the idea of progress as far as family is concerned is inevitably connected to the evolution of modern society. Family is a social unit where all members share values and are considered equal. First, I will present traditional families, then the American family model in the 1950s and finally new family structures through the women’s evolution in the society.

I] Traditional families

 Traditional families are called “Victorian families” because it comes from the name of Queen Victoria in England. She characterized all levels of society in the 19th century. Victorian family was viewed as a self-sufficient unit and inward looking. But there were two aspects: each member had its own function between the public and the domestic spheres. So, this type of family had conservative values and there was inequality of rights between men and women.  In fact, the painting of Norman Rockwell called Freedom from Want shows a family celebrating Thanksgiving. The grandmother brings the turkey and the grandfather looks at the turkey from the head of the table which means he’s the patriarch of the family. This picture gives an impression of good relationship between each members of the family. So this family is idealistic and it illustrates conservative values of this era/time.

II] The American Family model in the 1950s

We studied a picture which represents the suburbs of an American city where middle-class live. We can see houses which are built next to each other, there are very similar and people seem to do the same things at the same time: indeed women are walking with their children together. As a consequence, it represents the nuclear family. Indeed, after the World War II, the government policies and the economic boom of 1950s permite to middle-class to have more money. So they can buy houses thanks to the birth of suburbia and live a “proper family life”.  At that time, women were discouraged to study or to have a career. They were taught to be good wives and mothers. Those who wanted something else were criticized. Indeed, some are not satisfied by their situation. For example, Marilyn French shows in her novel The Women’s Room a housewife, Mira, realized she depend financially of her husband and she feels humiliated. She can’t accept that.

Over the last century, male-dominated societies have been challenged and women have become emancipated financially and sexually. As a consequence, values have been redefined and new family structures have emerged: single parenthood, same-sex parents, remarriage or also blended families.

III- New family structures

Today, family profiles, and by the way the situation of women, have greatly evolved. They have many marriages now and up in divorces and single parent family have become commonplace. Women have more rights than before and no longer depend on a male breadwinner. Today, an ideal family can be describe as one with a parent who is supportive and play an active part of the child's life. These parents should be able to provide for there family and teach their children values for that there family could be happy and grow both mentally and physically. In fact, we can see this evolution of the family with the new family structures that have appeared. For example, in a humoristic cartoon that we have seen in class, we can see a man who has just been awarded a prize and who is thanking his family. And his family seems to be rather unusual since he has a surrogate mother and a biological mother, and two fathers to thank. So this cartoon shows that nowadays a family is not merely composed of a father and a mother.

From another part, the views of an ideal family are portrayed in various television shows (like The Simpsons, Malcolm, The Modern Family), and in movies (like Little Big Sunshine) and also in advertissements. These views of an ideal family can be very differents. Because, although traditionnals families are still used in these representations (for example by greater part of marketing campagns that are targeting families), in the U.S. T.V. series named The Modern Family we can see a gay couple.

Conclusion:  The idea of progress as far as family is concerned is inevitably connected to the evolution of modern society. Over the last century, male dominated societies have been challenged and women have become emancipated. As a consequence, values have been redefined and new family structures have emerged: single parenthood, recognition of same sex parents, remarriage and blended families. It can be denied that with the emergence of new family profiles, American society in particular and western societies in general , appear to be more diverse and tolerent.

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