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What complex vision of American family/home can we create regarding the following pieces of writing? 

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What complex vision of American family/home can we create regarding the following pieces of writing? 

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"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain

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"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain

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In Mark Twain's 1884 "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", family is a frequent occurrence, however, family does not have to be through sharing the same blood line. Family includes people who stay close and interact in ways similar to a traditional family.

Throughout Huck's adventure, the book portrays several different families, one of them being the Grangerfords. The Grangerfords quickly allow Huck to slip into a roll in their family and offer him to stay as long as he likes. This supports the idea that family can refer to a small group of individuals that work together and get along. Another example of family is the Phelpses - Silas and Sally. This is a more traditional family and yet still they offer a warming spot in their family for Huck and Tom. Lastly, the relationship between Huck and his father Pap is extremely abusive and although they are blood related, they do not function as a family,

While these examples of family are important and start to show Twains idea of family; the relationship between Huck and Jim is the pinnacle demonstration of Twains optimal family. In one scene of the book, after Jim and Huck had a couple trouble free days, Huck says, "We had the sky, up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they was made, or only just happened" (Twain 122). This scene displays a warm, safe environment, and is one of the few moments in the book where Huck feels at ease. It is through Jim, Huck's unconventional family, that Huck finally finds peace and feels at home.

In America it is against the norm to refer to family as anything but blood relation however, Huck Finn makes it clear that some of the most meaningful and functioning relationships comes from unconventional families.

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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Dramatic Reading)

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“The Birth-mark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

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“The Birth-mark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

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"She felt how much more precious was such a sentiment than that meaner kind which would have borne with the imperfection for her
sake, and have been guilty of treason to holy love by degrading its perfect idea to the level of the actual; and with her whole spirit she prayed that, for a single moment, she might satisfy his highest and deepest conception. Longer than one moment she well knew it could not be; for his spirit was ever on the march, ever ascending, and each instant required something that was beyond the scope of the instant before"(Hawthorne 8).

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1843 "The Birth-mark", Aylmer wants to make his wife, Georgiana, perfect. Aylmer can not live with the fact that his wife has a birthmark on her face. His mind can only focus on this imperfection and he needs perfection.

Aylmer becomes consumed in his science. He's so focused on 'fixing' Georgiana that he is oblivious to the damage he is causing. Aylmer is in love with Georgina but his science obsession allows him to lose sight of the love. He is killing their relationship. Their relationship can not work if he can't accept her for who she is. Aylmer's will to fight against his wife's natural mark leads to a variety of problems, however, these problems are small compared to the final result of Aylmer's actions -- Georgianas death. In the end, Aylmer's obsession with Georgianas imperfection and inability to accept her costs him her life.

In American families, accepting people for who they are will allow for functionality and satisfaction. In Hawthornes writing the consequences of not being accepting and trying to fight nature are made clear.

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"Are they any worse than his sons? When he brought them business, when he was young, they were glad to see him. But now his old friends, the old buyers that loved him so and always found some order to hand him in a pinch—they’re all dead, retired. He used to be able to make six, seven calls a day in Boston. Now he takes his valises out of the car and puts them back and takes them out again and he’s exhausted. Instead of walking he talks now. He drives seven hundred miles, and when he gets there no one knows him any more, no one welcomes him. And what goes through a man’s mind, driving seven hundred miles home without having earned a cent? Why shouldn’t he talk to himself? Why? When he has to go to Charley and borrow fifty dollars a week and pretend to me that it’s his pay? How long can that go on? How long? You see what I’m sitting here and waiting for? And you tell me he has no character? The man who never worked a day but for your benefit? When does he get the medal for that? "(Miller 41).

In Arthurs Miller 's 1949 "Death of a Salesman", Linda, Willy's wife, begins to worry about Willy. Willy tries extremely hard to provide for his family. He attempts to shield his family from everything bad that is happening . He is trying to fix things strictly by himself.

Willy ultimately takes his life to help financially support his family through life insurance. After he dies his two sons, Biff and Happy, both want to make a name for themselves. They don't want Willy to have sacrificed himself for nothing.

Family will do anything to look after and take care of each other. They will make the needed sacrifices to ensure that their loved ones are happy and have a good life. Willy did everything he could to  make sure his family did not have to experience the pain he did.

In America the divide between the upper and lower class is very distinct. Role model families in America will have each-other backs but Willy Loman committing suicide is unlikely to help Biff and Happy thrive into the upper class. What the two boys needed was a motivating and attentive father figure throughout their lives and this is what an ideal family in America would contain.

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“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates

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“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates

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"She was hollow with what had been fear but what was now just an emptiness. All that screaming had blasted it out of her. She sat, one leg cramped under her, and deep inside her brain was something like a pinpoint of light that kept going and would not let her relax. She thought, I', not going to sleep in my bed again. Her bright green blouse was all wet"(Oates 52).

In Joyce Carol Oates's 1966 "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?", Connie is disconnected from her family. She slowly tries to separate from them as she reaches adulthood.

This story contradicts American ideas on family and their homes. When we think of our families we think of people who are nice, non judgmental, and trustworthy. This is not the case for Connie. Her mom is always judging her and comparing her to her older sister. This leads to Connie lacking a strong relationship with her family.

When we think of homes we think of a safe place where we can be ourselves. This is different for Connie, since she seems like she is trying to appeal to her mom to avoid criticism and when she is with her friends she is trying to attract attention from others. Also homes are supposed to be a place where you are safe, but Connie encounters two men who want to take her away. They force her to come to them or they will hurt her family and Connie ultimately decides walk away from her home and her family for the last time.

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"He found himself kneeling. He was waiting for her on his knees. He was worried she would not let him love her with the stain. He had already decided, long ago, twenty or thirty minutes ago, that the stain was fine. He had only seen it for a moment but he was already used to it. It was good. It somehow allowed them to have more. They could have a child now, he thought. There was a loose feeling in the air. The jam was still on the floor and that was okay. He would just kneel here and wait for her to come out and hope he would be able to tell her about the looseness in a loose way. He wanted to keep the feeling. He hoped she wasn't removing it somehow, the stain. She should keep it and they should have a kid. He could hear her blowing her nose, now she was opening the door. He would stay on his knees, just like this. She would see him this way and understand"(July 4).

In Miranda July's 2003 "Birthmark", readers realise that family is all about trusting and accepting each other for who they are. The women in the "Birthmark" had her birthmark removed, which caused her to lose a piece of herself, but it also separated her from her husband. They seemed different like they could not truly love each other  without her birthmark.

After an incident were she spills a jar of jam, she is reconnected with her birthmark, something that was holding back her relationship. The husband would either want it gone again or accept it and allow them to love each other with no complications. When her husband expressed his relief and acceptance she finally stopped worrying because they could now move past it and even have a child.

Accepting each other and loving each other for who they are allowed them to move forward in life. They could now trust each other and build a safe place together. They could now start a family together.

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In Phil Klay's 2014 "Redeployment", A marine returns home from war and the struggles of adapting back to normal life with family are made clear. This also helps to present the brutality and inhumanity of war.

The narrator is still on high alert after having been in Iraq and has trouble fitting back in with his family. He describes that things are awkward and his family is uncomfortable. The struggles of returning home to family after deployment is presented when the narrator kisses his wife and says “I figured that was what I was supposed to do” (8).

The narrator recalls a time in Iraq where Marines executed dogs who were eating corpses. Soon after returning home the narrators dog needs to be put down for health reasons and the man does it himself. This is obviously far from what is normal and accepted and didn't sit right with anyone especially his family.

Redeployment stands to bring attention to the extent of the struggles that returning American soldiers face and how it can disconnect them from their family.