Angelas Ashes

A detailed Summary of Angelas Ashes

Both books that I've read, Angela's Ashes and The Color of Water both demonstrated behavior than can be considered dysfunctional. A dysfunctional family is one that fails to meet some or all the basic needs of its members. Sometimes these needs, such as food, shelter or clothing are so basic that people take them for granted. More often, emotional needs, such as the need for love, support and security go unmet.

Although a family can be dysfunctional in several ways there are some characteristics that occur more often than others. Drugs, alcoholism, death, abandonment, starvation and anxiety are some examples of dysfunctional characteristics that can be found in both Angela's Ashes and The Color of Water. Just because a family is dysfunctional does not mean it's members do not love each other. Dysfunction usually results from a large amount of problems in the lives of the parents. Parents usually do the best that they can with their children but the truth is that they're human too and can't always manage the difficult task of parenting if they are overwhelmed by their own troubles. It could be that their parenting skills have been impaired by mental or physical illness or simply by ignorance.

The result of dysfunction vary from the type of dysfunction the family endures. I've heard of people becoming abusive, alcoholics, drug abusers, or runaways. Some people are too weak to cope with the situations in their home, so they flee and start new lives which usually end up becoming dysfunctional again. Dysfunction rubs off on children. Because children are so vulnerable they look at their parents as role models. Children usually end up having no sense of their own reality; therefor no sense of self. The cannot deal properly with their own feelings because they have been taught to deny those feelings. they can't value their needs realistically because their needs have always come second to the needs of the family, which were to stop anything from changing in order to ward off abandonment.

People who have lived in dysfunction often need help in finding out who they are, separating from their families and learning how to love their lives, as themselves in mature healthy and functional ways. This is a more positive outlook into leaving dysfunctional ways.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Color Water, Hook Brooklyn, Rachel Shilsky, DePaul Society, Rachel Shilsky's, James McBride, Ashes Frank, Presbyterian Rachel, Limerick Ireland, Water Rachel, angela's ashes, color water, angela's ashes color, ashes color water, ashes color, angela's ashes frank, james mcbride, dole money, wasting dole, dysfunctional characteristics, family dysfunctional, wasting dole money, struggling meet, children mother,

Approximate Word count = 1287
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

join now Save Paper

Saved Paper

Save your papers so you can locate them quickly!

Newest Essays

Testimonials

"Thank You So Much!!! You have saved me once again!!!"
Jack M.
"With so many papers to chose from, I was able to get ideas to help me with all of my classes. Thank You!"
Brian P.
"I've used this site for the last 3 years to help me come up with ideas for my papers."
Sara J.
"I use this site every week to help me write my own papers!"
Rachel W.
"I love this site!!!"
Marie N.

Angelas Ashes

Related Essays

Saved Paper

Newest Essays

Testimonials