Subject of Family in Lessingв Ђ™s Flight, Hughesв Ђ™ Mother to...
Subject of Family in Lessing s Flight, Hughes Mother to Son, Kincaid s Girl and Adrienne Rich s
Poem, Merced
Family as defined by Webster s College Dictionary can be one of many different people. Family
can be your parents, spouse, children, brother, sister, grandmother, uncle, any blood relative, or
even people who are not blood related that share that common bond (Webster 475). My definition of
family is similar to Webster s, but I feel that there is more to it than just being a blood relative or
close friend. A person s actions, beliefs, and morals play a major role in deciding who makes it into
that family group. Family becomes more of an idea or feeling, like love or hate, than just who a
person is or where they fall in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There are four different relationships portrayed in this writing. There is the granddaughter and
grandfather, father and daughter, mother and daughter, and a new bond between the
granddaughter, Lucy, and her beau, Steve. Although there is definite conflict between the
grandfather and both his granddaughter and his daughter, you can still see the elements of
family portrayed in their actions and beliefs. The granddaughter is ready to break free from her
current main family and start a new family of her own. This causes her grandfather to resent her,
possibly due to the empty nest feeling since she is the last one to leave the house and be married.
This can be seen when he says to his daughter, She s the last. Can t we keep her a bit longer?
(Lessing 20). This shows the strong love necessary to have that true family in a household. The
mother knows that another step in her job is done and that it is time to let go. The daughter is
showing her defiance and desire to be a grown woman, to take that next step in her life. Although
she is bitter with her grandfather in the beginning of the story, she shows her true love for her
grandfather when the story portrays her crying as the grandfather finally lets go, perhaps not
wanting to be let go the releasing of his birds is a metaphor for the releasing of his granddaughter
to the world (Lessing 20 21). Steven shows his wanting of acceptance by Lucy s
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