Lindsey Schrock REHUGO Universal Truths/Quotes

Lindsey Schrock

Mr. Soeth, per. 2

February 9, 2011

REHUGO Analysis: Quotes/Universal Truths

A. “Family means putting your arms around each other and being there.”  Author: Barbara Bush

    “No mere father and mother…are enough…for a child.  He needs to feel himself one in a world of kinfolk, persons of variety in age and temperament.” Author: Pearl S. Buck

B.

1. “Family means putting your arms around each other and being there.” This statement refers not only to the bondage between blood-related family members, but also to the relationships established between friends and loved ones we encounter throughout the course of our lives. Bush provides a definition of ‘family’ and explains her concept of relationships by implying that regardless of whether or not two people are related, being a ‘family’ means being a true friend and a source of sympathy, comfort, and understanding. If you come to a friend’s aid and assist them in a time of need, you become a member of their social family; you are a person they trust and love, just as one loves their parents and siblings.

2. “No mere father and mother…are enough…for a child.  He needs to feel himself one in a world of kinfolk, persons of variety in age and temperament.” This quote provides commentary on how relationships with people who are not biologically related to you play an important role in your life, as well as how a biological family is not the sole community in a child’s life.  Expanding one’s ‘family’ beyond the preconceived, official family tree which we have grown from is essential for one’s overall contentedness. It is necessary to obtain separate communities outside of your designated 'clan' assigned to you at birth. While a mother and father, as mentioned in the quote, are responsible for your existence, they cannot serve as your only sense of family and community. This quote simply means that a community consists of far more than one’s family.

C.

1. Throughout adolescence, people begin to establish long lasting friendships that will stay with them for the remainder of their lives. A common indicator of a true family-friend is whether or not they make themselves available as a source of comfort or whether or not they offer their condolences or advice during troubling times. When tragedy strikes in today’s world and people find themselves in need of a shoulder to cry on, a beloved friend (or ‘family member’) will always be there. For example, when cancer takes the lives of many Americans each day, people turn to close friends for a sense of ease and security, therefore creating family ties to others within their community.

2. We often find ourselves being attracted to certain people who share certain hobbies or interests, especially during our high school careers. For example, clubs serve as an establishment where youth connect with others who share similar interests. While certain aspects of our personalities are dependent upon our family members and their effect on us, another aspect of our identity is gained from who we choose to become friends with. In order to fully develop a sense of individualism and to discover what defines you as a person, it is necessary to expand your ‘social circle’ and meet new people who will provide you with different outlooks on life. These people truly shape who we ultimately become. Expanding your ‘family’ and community contributes to sense of self; we are often characterized and defined by who we are friends with. The world consists of so much more than just our families; this quote explains that there are numerous age groups and personality types that contribute to our community. Obtaining separate communities outside your designated clan assigned to you at birth is essential in order to fully develop into the person you are meant to be.  

Buck, Pearl S. "Better World Quotes-Parents." BetterWorld.net. Better World Heroes. Web. 9 Feb. 2011. <http://www.betterworld.net/quotes/parents-quotes.htm>.

Bush, Barbara. "Barbara Bush Quotes." ThinkExist.com Quotations. 2010. Web. 9 Feb. 2011. <http://thinkexist.com/quotes/barbara_bush/>.