Preview

The Dying Family Plumb Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
455 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Dying Family Plumb Analysis
Is an ugly girl with five cows really worth more than a pretty girl with one?

This question is different today than it was hundreds of years ago. Family, as we know it today still tends to be based on property including one spouse and offspring. Marriage is still legally regulated and is a contract between two partners; however the emphasis on appearance has become significant. The family unit has changed; single parents, blended families and non-standard sexual relationships are becoming the norm rather than the exception.

In J. H. Plumb’s “ The Dying Family” the stereotypical family unit is contrasted by the current state of the family. It is obvious that the definition of family has evolved especially in modern culture. Coming from the eyes of a twenty-year-old single male, one may ask, why bother, with marriage if you can be with plenty of different women. As an individual, with age and maturity this indeed may change. However the commitment of marriage seems to be a risky, and potentially expensive undertaking. One may agree with Plumb when he states, “ the family has always been molded by the changing needs of society”. (The Dying Family 9). …show more content…
As a society we are more apt to upgrade. Family education is still vital to success, but maintaining a standard consistent unit is not always essential. Divorce is considered to be socially acceptable today. Some people do not even consider marriage as an option; rather they choose to live together with no legal commitment. In the past there was never such a thing as a prenuptial
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Sociology 210 Unit 4 IP
    • 1273 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Sociology 210 Unit 4 IP

    Yes, I am in agreement with the experts citing that weakening of the family as one of the main causes for some of the problems that society faces today. In the late 1960s and 1970’s divorce rates rose, and unwed mother’s having babies increased, and the average age of first marriages also increased. Reasons for such changes: Wages of employment for women increased, while the wages of employment dropped for men, the economy became weak, mother’s joined the work force to supplement the families income due to the recessed economy, also women had gained…

    • 1273 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Summary Of Tim Stanley The Changing Face Of The American Family
    • 320 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Summary Of Tim Stanley The Changing Face Of The American Family

    The article “The Changing Face of the American Family” by Tim Stanley focused on the topic of how the American family has changed in the past century. Stanley discusses the “nuclear family,” which is a family centered around two parents. The nuclear family was forged by the unique economic and political circumstances of the 1950’s, was undermined by social revolution in the 1960’s and was revived as an ideal family in the 1970’s due to the deceptively rosy view of the past (Stanley 11). The idea of the “nuclear family” is still considered by some to be the ideal family and the promise of the American dream.…

    • 320 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Bis303 Week 7 Casestudy - Marriage and Family
    • 740 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Bis303 Week 7 Casestudy - Marriage and Family

    As stated in our text, various factors can bind married couples together, such as economic interdependencies, legal, social and moral constraints, relationship, and amongst other things. In the recent years some of these factors have diminished their strengths. The modern generation sees marriage in a different perspective altogether. Individuals today feel they are stable independently, they do not need to rely on their spouse for emotional or financial support. Many are career driven and soar to conquer their dreams over settling down with a family. Such untraditional views have increased divorce rates.…

    • 740 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Dh3N 34
    • 1243 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Dh3N 34

    This essay will discuss the “modern family Structures” within society and explore the lack of any “normal” or standard family. Using existing sociology perspectives this essay will further discuss modern behaviours, experiences and life chances within a specific family unit and how they fit the existing theories. Finaly the author will evaluate the usefulness if any of these theories and how they can be used in a coherent manner to explain the impact they have on a family unit and in turn what impact the family has on the individual.…

    • 1243 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Examine How the Different Theoretical Approaches Have Explained the Changes That the Family Has Historically Gone Through.
    • 1279 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Examine How the Different Theoretical Approaches Have Explained the Changes That the Family Has Historically Gone Through.

    The family has been the focus of study for many different sociologists, all of which can be criticized in some form.Throughout this essay I am going to examine how the different theoretical approaches explain how family structures and the roles of individuals within them have changed in relation to each of the historical stages that Western society is said to have developed through.…

    • 1279 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Sociology for Social Care Practise
    • 1477 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Sociology for Social Care Practise

    This essay will discuss family structures within modern day society and examine the lack of a “standard” family environment. It will also explore theories and perspectives concerning behaviours, experiences and life chances within specific family units. In conclusion the author will assess if these theories can be used to explain the impact they have on the family unit and the impact the family has on the young person.…

    • 1477 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In Your Opinion What Has Happened To The Institution Of Marriage And The Family In This Country And How Can The American Family Survive In An Ever
    • 259 Words
    • 1 Page

    In Your Opinion What Has Happened To The Institution Of Marriage And The Family In This Country And How Can The American Family Survive In An Ever

    In your opinion what has happened to the institution of marriage and the family in this country and how can the American family survive in an ever-changing society? Can it survive?…

    • 259 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Examine the reasons for changing patterns of marriage and divorce over the last 50 years or so.
    • 730 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Examine the reasons for changing patterns of marriage and divorce over the last 50 years or so.

    Nowadays, there is less pressure to marry and a lot more freedom for individuals to choose the type of relationship they want. It’s considered more important about the quality of a couples relationship, rather than the legal status. The main and most important reason for the decrease in marriage and increase in divorce was the change in attitudes towards them. People now believe that it is alright to get a divorce if they are not happy in their marriage and with that, the stigma towards divorces has decreased. People divorce now on a day to day basis. We see in magazine articles about celebrities getting divorce and no one is against it anymore, unlike before when older members of the family would encourage the younger couples stay together through thick and thin. That's the same for marriage, as more and more people want to cohabit with their partner rather than get married as women now have more opportunities to work, higher expectations and set own rules about their life’s that before wasn’t possible.…

    • 730 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    life and family
    • 456 Words
    • 2 Pages

    life and family

    Certainly the term 'family' has raised various debates in the modern society and as evident from the study of different cultures, there is now no clear taxonomy of a family unit. From a functionalists point of view, it is a unit of people bound together either biologically or by legal marriage. To support this theory, Murdock defines it as a group consisting of a sexually active heterosexual couple living with their biological or adopted children.(Haralambos M & Langley P).…

    • 456 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    The American Family Analysis
    • 1594 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The American Family Analysis

    The family is the category that occurred early in the history of mankind; is an important social institution, related to the operation of the whole society and each individual. In view of the system, a change that institutions will lead to change the system and vice versa, the institutions around the family in the social system in general (such as economics, law, culture...) change also causes varying family. American family is not an exception to this rule.…

    • 1594 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Parenting Styles and Abilites
    • 1081 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Parenting Styles and Abilites

    Families come in many different forms. Back in the 1950’s/60’s most families compromised of a father, a mother and at least one child, this is known as a nuclear family structure. In the past few decades though divorce rates rose which has caused a rise in reconstituted families for example step families, parents now work longer hours which has seen more children being raised by extended family members eg: grandparents and new changes in law has seen same sex marriages become legal.…

    • 1081 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Blended Families
    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Blended Families

    In today’s society, it seems as though a lot of our traditions as a society have taken a back seat to modern and tough times. I remember when it was a rare thing to know a blended familiy. For the most part people were married to the mothers and fathers of their children. But now with only 50% of marriages succeeding, the other 50% that did not are eventually moving on and forming relationships with others who are in the same boat as them. This changes the family dynamic in many ways. This has caused certain changes in our family structure in this nation. Now we are seeing more blended families, and also same sex families. With these new types of families, such as blended and same sex families, there has also been a change in our ways that we now see the “Traditional Family “make up.…

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Definition Essay: Defining Family
    • 1076 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Definition Essay: Defining Family

    "The concept of 'family' seems simple to many people, but its abounding in subtleties of meaning that involve concepts that are related to but not the same, including the definition of marriage, the meaning of family life, gender roles, relationships, households, sexuality, children, and dependents. That is a lot of human life for one concept to encompass." from Work and Family Encyclopedia. Webster's Dictionary defines "family" as a group of individuals living under one roof usually under one head, also the basic unit in society usually consisting of two parents rearing their children: any of various social units differing from but regarded as equivalent to the traditional…

    • 1076 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Describe Ways in Which Concept of Family Has Changed Across Cultures and over Time (Sociology)
    • 1457 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Describe Ways in Which Concept of Family Has Changed Across Cultures and over Time (Sociology)

    Families in the world are very different. They come in different shapes and sizes, it can be based on different kinds of relationship, but what all families have in common that it is made of people you love and care. Over past 20 or more years families in the world has changed the most than it has changed in all history. Of course changes in the families are different among cultures and religions. It seems that United States, Canada and Northern Europe families has changed the most, now Nuclear families are dominating there, when in Asia Extended families still takes a greater number. In the richest places in the world numbers of same sex marriages, cohabitations, divorces significantly increasing, when in most less developed countries these things are forbidden and relatives still arrange their children marriages, or even force their children to get married to someone they want to.…

    • 1457 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Marriages Decline
    • 902 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Marriages Decline

    In looking at all households, Smith found that the most common arrangement in 1972 was married couples with children (45 percent), while…

    • 902 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More