English 101 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

English 101 - Essay Example The current American white family is an excellent example of the modern nuclear family with least dependence on the extended family; and the Africans, Latinos and Hispanics residing in America still depend on their extended families for emotional, financial and child care support (He, Sengupta, Velkoff & DeBarros 27). Contrary to general belief that modern nuclear families tend to be the most supportive, Gerstel and Sarkisian in ‘The colour of family ties’, try to portray a different picture; exerting that colored families signify a better representation of family support. The authors in ‘color of family ties’ found that ‘Social class rather than cultures is the key to understanding the differences in extending family ties and behaviors between whites and ethnic minorities’ (Gerstel and Sarkisian 450). Gary Soto in ‘Looking for work’ also presents its readers with a brilliant example of family support and cooperation among colored f amilies. ‘Looking for work’ depicts a family that is far more financially supportive than the white nuclear families or the family depicted in ‘An Indian Story’ by Roger Jack. Sotto depicts a family that is living day-in and day-out through the same financial conditions. The life is seen though the eyes of a Mexican child, who gets his ideas of a perfect life from watching the program ‘Father knows best’ and ‘Leave it to beaver’. Believing that money can solve all their problems and make them happy and accepted by the society like in the TV program (rpr190); he does jobs for people, cleaning their gardens and flower beds, in the hope to earn that extra ‘dime that would end the day right’ (Soto 4). The child also has a limited view of being wealthy due to his circumstances as the child says that ‘I decided to become wealthy, and right away! After downing a bowl of cereal, I took a rake from the garage and started up the block to look for work’ (Soto 1). He believes that by working hard doing petty jobs he can change the circumstances of his family and that too quickly. The father in ‘an Indian story’ ‘makes good money’ (Jack 453) due to which the author is not worried about any financial problems and does not address the financial condition further. The family in ‘Looking for work’ supports each other through rough and lonely times. The mother of the three children does not marry and prefers taking care of the children herself, so that they may not suffer any trauma. The father in an Indian story remarries despite the fact that his new wife has a son and both the step brothers fight a lot. The writer says that ‘he married a half-breed Indian and this made me feel very uncomfortable’ (Jack 454). The child although is disturbed by his mother’s death, the father remarries thinking only of himself, and the child is also not happy with his father’s remarriage. The lack of understanding and consideration on the part of his father makes the boy run away from his home. The family in ‘looking for work’, have come to celebrate each day and every meal they get, although it is the same meal. They are not bothered about the heat and dismal conditions in which they live, they celebrate the family being together at meal times. As the child says that, ‘we sat to eat our beans and tortillas in the stifling heat of our kitchen. We all gleamed like