Myths: Education and Family

Interpreting and understanding fictions view on an individuals ain views, beliefs, and conceptions. With that in mind, the romance conceiveing the thermonuclear family and the fabrication of reading and sanction are solely interpreted differently and argued, for and against, in many a(prenominal) focusings. twain earn been perceived negatively by auberge, yet they engender non forever and a day been a harmful folktale. Rather, the figment that teaching method can advance persons bearing has been used, grade later year, to motivate the youth in establish to improve their own personal livingstyle.The story of the nuclear family has also been used everywhere and over again by the media as a prospective death for every ane who desires to grow a family. Although the passing of time has alterd the intelligence of both fabrications throughout our indian lodge, to many, including myself, these storys continue to try try for for a better life and a tradi tional family. Imposing the falsehood of the holy man family, which the media depicts as white, semi-rich and happy with no rifts (Soto 29) is what negatively impacts society because no matchless should set a standard on what a family should be standardised.As a run of this misconception, the ideal family has become the ultimate goal for couples who want the scoop up for their children. Take Gary Sotos Looking for Work, and picture an eight year old Mexican-American boy, who felt the need to change his family because he cute them to act give care the white families portrayed in tv shows, like Leave it to Beaver. Why do these individuals confuse the need to create the finished family portrayed by the media?According to Soto, as a child, he tried to incite his family that if they improved the way they looked they might suck up along better in life White batch would like them more(prenominal) White bulk might non hate them so much (30). Although the myth of the family has been attributed negative qualities because it creates a false sense of reality, it has, for many years, been the underlie reason why couples start a family of their own.For instance, if a couple could non take root on the number of children, they could turn to the myth and consider starting with two because the myth implies that an ideal family consists of Dad, Mom, a couple of kids, perchance a dog, living in a spacious suburban home (Colombo et al. 18). stock-still though society has accepted the meaning of family to be surrounded by a man and a woman, moreover, it is apparent that in the America of today on that point are families composed of same-sex couples. The myth however, was not created to incorporate same-sex couples as part of the efinition, as it is explicitly described in rapscallion 18 of unanimity at kinsfolk the traditional vision of the ideal nuclear family-Dad, Momremains surprisingly strong. This myth has become so ingrained in society that even af ter the idea of the nuclear family still poses extensive support. Even the famous archaeologist, Margaret Mead, commented on the belief of the ideal nuclear family As far endure as our experience takes us, human beings have lived in families. We know of no stay where this was not so.We know of no people who have succeeded for long in turn the family or displacing it ( new World Encyclopedia). Similar to the myth of the nuclear family, the myth of direction and say-so introduces two different sides of the spectrum- the idea that pedagogy is not for everyone, as seen by ass Taylor Gatto in Against School, and the idea that direction does improve someones life, as seen by Malcolm X in Learning to Read. The verbal interpretation of the myth shows training as a symbol of success and as the door to receive the American romance (Colombo et al. 11). Education, moreover, has not ceaselessly been perceived negatively by society because to many people study represents favora ble mobility and a view for a better life. While thither may be some defeat with the educational system, education, according to the myth, will always serve those who seek to better their lives and who want to be someone in life, as long they are not special to the quality of education offered. However, the reality is that minorities have continuously faced obstacles that impeded them from receiving a high-quality education.For instance, if an individual comes from an affluent household, accordingly as students they are more presumable to receive a better educational installation than an individual who goes to a lower or middle class school (Anyon 173). As a result of Jean Anyons findings, it is evident that social class plays a prominent role to the type of education that a student receives especially if knowledge of skills leading to social power and regard (medical, legal, managerial) are made available to the advantaged social groups but are withheld from working classes, to whom a more practical curriculum is offered (manual skills, clerical knowledge) (170).But what if we, as a society, had followed what President canful F. Kennedy mentioned in his 1960 senatorial speech that we need to commit ourselves to the principle of equal educational prospect for all regardless of race, place of birth, or wealth. Our society would be improved greatly, and the educational knowledge would be dispersed every bit amongst all of the citizens no one would be given a better education because everyone would receive the same quality.The significance that the education and empowerment myth has in society is that one people who believe in education are more likely to finish their schooling because it symbolizes an achievement and because it emphasizes the believability of what the United States represents-freedom, happiness, and success. Secondly, if an individual like Gatto believes that education is a waste of time (148), then people will become deter and there fore there is a higher(prenominal) probability that these individuals will fail to fulfill the American Dream.The reason I am gen date of referencelizing this concept and associating failure with not cultivation high school or college, is because of the way that I grew up and the sacrifices that my parents had to endure in order for all their children to have the best education possible to my parents, not complete school is like giving up in life, and throwing all their sacrifices down the fleck chute.Lastly, the belief that education brings you power and offers you an promiscuous door for a better life, has impact society, because as the country progressed into the unexampled era way before the revolutions that this country had to endure, such(prenominal) as the Civil Rights Movement and womens suffrage, education was not opened to everyone. As time went by and people fought for their liberties, education became a universal liberty, rather than a right given to selected indiv iduals. All in all, the myth of the nuclear family and the myth of education and empowerment have not always been interpreted as negative ideas by society.They may have been by a few people, but the feeling was not mutually shared by everyone. Both myths served as motivational ideas that influenced people like Gary Soto and Malcolm X, to have the desire to try new things, even if what Soto wanted to try could have change his family completely and the things Malcolm X wanted to experience, improved his capacity to learn and originate himself. Although, the myth of the nuclear family has not changed because it has not accepted same-sex couples, the myth of education and empowerment has changed with respect to who it is being applied to.In new(prenominal) words, the interpretation of the myth will set out with people from different backgrounds. For instance, to a Mexican like me, education is a gateway to a better life. To a Chinese person, education represents honor and recognition from his or her family. Lastly, the myths of education and the nuclear family gives us, the citizens of the United States, hope for a better life or a perfect family, depending on ones respective point of view. whole works Cited Anyon, Jean. Social Class and the Hidden class of Work. 1980. Rereading America heathenish Contexts for minute opinion and Writing. By Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and bonnie Lisle. Vol. 162. capital of Massachusetts Bedford of St. Martins, 2010. 169-85. Print. eldest appeared in the Journal of Education. Colombo, Gary, Robert Cullen, and clean Lisle. Harmony at Home The Myth of the stupefy Family. Introduction. Rereading America cultural Contexts for detailed intellection and Writing. Boston Bedford of St. Martins, 2010. 17-21. Print. Colombo, Gary, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Learning condition The Myth of Education and Empowerment. Introduction. Rereading America Cultural Contexts for Critical view and Writing. Boston Bedford of St. Martins, 2010. 109-15. Print. Colombo, Gary, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Rereading America Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Boston Bedford of St. Martins, 2010. Print. Gatto, washstand Taylor. Against School. 2003. Rereading America Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. By Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle.Boston Bedford of St. Martins, 2010. 148-55. Print. This selection originally appeared in Harpers magazine. joke F. KennedySpeech by Senator John F. Kennedy, Beverly Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles, CA (Advance Release Text), November 2, 1960. Web. 22 Oct 2012. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley,The American Presidency Project. http//www. presidency. ucsb. edu/ws/? pid=25930. mating Equality USA. Prop 8 pain My Family Ask Me How. 2009. Rereading America Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing.By Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Boston Bedford of St. Martins, 2010. 84-88. Print. red-hot World E ncyclopedia. Margaret Mead. New World Encyclopedia. New World Encyclopedia, 16 Nov. 2011. Web. 22 Oct. 2012. http//www. newworldencyclopedia. org/ entering/Margaret_Mead. Soto, Gary. Looking for Work. Rereading America Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. By Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Boston Bedford of St. Martins, 2010. 26-31. Print.