Reading REHUGO: Analysis of In Search of the Good Family by Jane Howard

Karsha Smith

Mr. Soeth

English 3 AP

27 January 2011

Reading REHUGO: Analysis of In Search of the Good Family by Jane Howard

A.    Essay: In Search of the Good Family – author: Jane Howard

B.     In this essay, the author predicts that “Even if you live alone, even if your solitude is elected and ebullient, you still cannot do without a clan or tribe” (283). She suggests that individuals cannot function well without a family to support them. Each person needs a “clan” to care for, and a family to care for them in return.

C.     Evidence:

a.       Each individual requires close relationships either with blood relatives or with those they choose to be related to (meaning they choose to have close relationships with others) in order to get certain jobs done or needs met. For example, an individual can either be assigned as the “chief” (the leader), or the “switchboard operator” (the one who keeps track of what everyone else does) (285). This encourages family members to work together to get jobs done that would be difficult to accomplish by just one person. For instance, you would never see someone run their own restaurant and have no workers for assistance. The individual’s job would be very hectic, difficult, and would crash and burn.

b.      Every individual in a family is required the same job(s) as everyone else in certain circumstances. Each person needs to keep in touch with their relatives and to be there for them, they need to be hospitable, make the best out of bad situations, prize rituals/traditions, be affectionate towards others, help each other have a sense of belonging, stay connected with descendants, and honor their elders (285-288). Each job helps bring the family closer together and brings back in the purpose of relationships. Family needs individuals, and individuals need family.

D.    Rhetorical Strategies:

a.       Appeal via credibility (Ethos): “A few of my life’s most tribally joyous times, in fact, have been spent with people whom I have yet to see again” (284). Howard builds up her credibility by mentioning how she too has learned the importance of “clans” moving in and out of everyone’s lives. People will come and go, and new friendships will be made. The essential fact to remember is no matter how many people you meet and how little time you have to get to know them, you should still try. “Better an ephemeral clan or tribe than none at all” (284).

b.      Pathos: “This saddens me, as it may them too, but dwelling overlong on such sadness does no good. A more fertile exercise is to think back on those times and try to figure out what made them, for all their brevity, so stirring” (284). This further explains the ethos quote previously and uses emotion to further connect to the audience on time relationships. Howard further explains by mentioning how everyone should think positively about the past and not dwell on sadness.

c.       Narration: Using Howard’s own situations, she (in a few sentences) tells her story and what she has learned (relates back to ethos and pathos) (284).

d.      Allusion: “Wishing to be friends, as Aristotle wrote, is quick work, but friendship is a slowly ripening fruit” (283). Howard describes how friendship takes time to achieve. You cannot develop a close relationship with someone without spending a decent amount of time together. Friendship is complex and can change quickly if someone is not careful. Nothing that complex can develop overnight.

e.       Metaphor: “Good families are fortresses with many windows and doors to the outer world” (285). Howard describes families this way to explain how a family members protect each other from what is dangerous out there, and help each relative have so many chances and opportunities to succeed in what they hope to achieve.

f.       Parallelism: “If blood and roots don’t do the job, then we must look to water and branches, and sort ourselves into new constellations, new families” (283). Water and branches have parallel ideas leading to the idea of trees. Trees are used in symbolism to represent family trees. These are used to relate back to other family members through blood ties. Family ties represent the rooted relationship each family member has. This helps explain to the audience how close the bond is with each family member.

E.     Howard’s overall point encourages each individual to further understand their family. The family bond is more important than what some people may think, and the relationships made can have a great impact someday. Time is running out, so friendships will come and go quickly. Each individual should learn which relationships should be cherished the most, and remember who they someday might leave behind.

MLA Citation for essay:

Shea, Renée Hausmann., Lawrence Scanlon, and Robin Dissin. Aufses. "In Search of the

          Good Family." The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing and Rhetoric.

          Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. 283-88. Print.