Interview With Maureen: Case Study

Maureen, a neighbor and close friend of mine, is 86-years old and was born during The Great Depression. I decided to interview Maureen to find out about her culture, any intercultural communication she has had, the subgroups in which she is a member, challenges and stereotypes she has faced, and all she has endured throughout her life. Maureen is an older generation and belongs to different subgroups from ones in which I belong; The Great Depression, WWII, The Silent Generation, handicapped, and stepmother. These topics are explored in more detail as we discussed her life. A subgroup is defined as “a group that exists within a dominant culture and provides members with sets of values, attitudes, and patterns of behavior” (Jandt, 2013, pg. 18). While speaking with Maureen, it became clear that she belongs to the following subgroups: Caucasian, Woman, Catholic, Child
Her parents were strict Catholic and raised Maureen and her siblings within the Catholic religion; they even attended Catholic schools. This faith would prove to be a vital source of strength for her family in the years to come. When asked about her earliest memory, Maureen seemed to be very emotional while answering this question, as it was a difficult time in her early childhood. “I can remember back to about the age of four, which would have been 1935”, Maureen said. “My first childhood memory is the death of my father. I was four years old, my younger sister was three, and my brother was six. I remember seeing my father lying in a coffin in our living room, my mother and brother crying, and people with food coming to our house. I also remember having to move from our home to another town and living in a small apartment after my father died”. This memory points to early struggle in her life, as well as the difference in our generations. Today, no one would find it appropriate to have a family member lie in repose in their