Podcast: Switched at Birth - Essay Example

Podcast: Switched at Birth Switched at Birth is a tale of two babies, who were exchanged at birth following a mix up at the hospital. The two little girls ended up in wrong families and only became aware of their biological parents 43 years later when Mrs. Miller decides to write a letter to them revealing the incident that happened about four decades ago. Switched at Birth evokes major questions that revolve around crucial human relation, the family. Reading the story of the Millers and MacDonald’s, one cannot help asking many questions including, who makes up the family?

Is kinship biological? Using the Miller and McDonald families, this paper seeks to analyze different meanings of biological and social kin relations. Reading through the transcript, one comes across two babies who end up in families, which are absolutely different from each other in numerous aspects. While the Millers are dedicated to the church, the McDonald’s are outgoing. Even though the Millers knew about the exchange immediately after reaching home, the family decides to keep quiet about the exchange because they want to preserve their good relationship with the family doctor, Dr. Deslack. The two women easily accept their biological lineage despite having been exchanged at birth and living away from their biological families, which depicts how strong biological bonds are in terms of human relationships.

The Miller and MacDonald’s families belong to distinct ethnic groups as portrayed by the complexion of the switched babies. Martha is biologically different from her family members. She is blonde and need no glasses for nearsightedness whereas all her siblings have dark hair and are also myopic. The attitudes, interests and activities of the families differ widely. While at the ‘wrong’ family, Martha’s behavior and interest is completely different from her siblings as revealed in the transcript, “Martha excelled in music, was a great cheerleader at school, very popular, and a blonde” while her siblings were very serious.

The difference in Martha’s interest from her siblings can be attributed to her inclination to the biological family.Kinship is a product of culture that determines how people relate to each other and explains roles, rights as well as responsibilities of people. Kinship can either be formed through genealogical descent or marriage and affinal unions. Kinship groups are characterized by biologic foundation that links each member of the group to one another. Examples of kinship include descent group, marriage and affinal unions.

A descent group refers to a kinship group where primary relationships constitute blood relatives such as mother father and children among other blood relatives. Marriage refers to legitimate relationships defined by both physical and emotional intimacy whereas affinal ties or unions are relationships created out of marriage with no biological linkage. Family kinship can be Matrilocality, where the married partners live with the bride’s family. It can also be Neolocality, in which the couples decide on a detached home or Patrilocality, where the couples move in with the man’s family.

Switched at Birth is a perfect presentation of human relationships and kinship. It exposes how people relate with each other and brings into light what actually makes up a family. The switched babies are brought up in families where they do not belong and the difference between them and the families manifest as they grow up. Despite having been raised away from their real families, the two girls remain biologically attached to their real families. Work CitedThis American Life (NPR). 2008. Podcast: Switched at Birth.

Downloaded from: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/360/switched-at-birth on [October 2, 2014].