The Idea of American Family - Essay Example

An American family wants to achieve the American dream. The father is the breadwinner and the mother is responsible for taking care of the household. The ideal perspective of having a traditional family that works towards achieving the American dream is no doubt surreal. Although there are some rare examples, the American family remains to be a very mythical concept. Families in America are plagued with divorce. In addition, the components of a traditional American family that consisted of a husband and wife do not apply in modern society.
The absurd idea in which the “women are strong, men look good, and the children are above average” is clearly not satisfied. The father might be an alcoholic and the children might abuse drugs. Same-sex couples and divorced individuals are prevalent throughout American society. The idea of a nuclear family in America is almost lost. The younger generations tend to throw their elders in retirement homes and live a very modern lifestyle. The American family does not exist because of the modern society in which the cult of domesticity is broken, rights for gay couples have enhanced, and divorce rates have sky-rocketed.
The advent of civil rights and the traditional method of stepping away from the “cult of domesticity” were key aspects towards dissolving the model of an ideal American family. When women decided to enter the workforce, things changed dramatically. Social life became a common theme for American families. Read More