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.

Kyle Gheen

Mr. Soeth

English 3 AP

1-26-11

A. “In Search of the Good Family.” By Jane Howard

B. In “In Search of the Good Family,” Jane Howard starts the essay out by expressing how much of an importance family is to a person and that a person without a family is impractical. The family does not have to be blood related either.

C. By quoting Helen, Howard is using logos in order to further show that a family is the common ground of support. Helen states, “If you’re voluntarily childless and alone, it gets harder and harder with the passage of time. It’s stressful, that’s why you need support systems.” The statement is trying to further elaborate on the importance of families by showing that it starts at a young age and having the family young is of great importance. By quoting Kurt Vonnegut on his book “Slapstick” he is giving himself and the author more ethos and a more reliable source of information. “Human beings need all the relatives they can get—as possible donors or receivers not of love but of common decency.” The quote expresses that a need for a family, blood or not blood related, is important. Not just for love but to just keep yourself sane.

D. From Page 285-288, Howard uses the repetition “Good families.” The repetition is used to make it clear to the reader that “Good families,” are capable of doing these ten examples. The examples seem to be a type of moral code to families, showing the way that stable families work is off of the ten examples and more. Howard also quotes Aristotle which says, “Wishing to be friends…is quick work, but friendship is a slowly ripening fruit.” He also goes on to say, “You cannot know a man until you and he together have eaten a peck of salt.” This example of allusion gives the reader more insight on what a true bond between friends is. Using the friendship to become a more family time ordeal, by using the metaphor, “You cannot know a man until you and he together have eaten a peck of salt.” With the metaphor it is showing that a true friend is family if he has gone through the same situations you have and has been there for you until the friendship has grown to its peak.

MLA Citation
Howard, Jane. "In Search of the Good Family." 2008. The Language of Composition. Boston: Bedford, 2008. 283-88. Print.

Rehugo

Merna Nashed
Mr.Soeth
English 3AP
January 26,2011



A. “In Search of a Good Family”-Jane Howard.

B. Jane Howard states that everyone needs family, to get them through the tough times, and even in times like these when most family members are across the seas, we can always look to friends and have them become our families as well. But just because you start to have a lot more friends that become your family that doesn’t mean you can just neglect your relatives.

C. In her opening paragraphs Howard says “But that they are too far away. In emergencies we rush across continents and if need be the oceans to their sides, as they do to ours. Maybe we make a habit of seeing them, once or twice a year, for the sheer pleasure of it.” Howard states ethos in this quote because many people can relate to it. Countless families get together a few times a year, which is hardly enough time to get acquainted with their family members. Numerous people know how it feels to have families live in other countries, states, and even different cities which can make a big difference. Having said that blood relatives are not always around, and that’s why having friends is also important, because they can also support you like family can. “It gets harder and harder with the passage of time. It’s stressful. That’s why you need support systems.” This statement is pathos because it appeals to peoples’ emotions considering everyone needs someone to support them especially their families and friends.

D. One of the important rhetorical strategies that Howard uses is classification and division, to say how families should be, and that they don’t need to be blood related to be your relatives. She does this so we can understand what she is trying to say which is a family is more than relatives but a group of people you can relate to and enjoy life with. Howard also uses repetition in each of her observations starting with “Good families.” Each of these observations tells how families should be, for example they should have leaders, rituals, and they should be hospitable and affectionate. According to these observations Howard is trying to point out that families should be this way, knowing that everyone needs a family.

Lindsey Schrock REHUGO

Lindsey Schrock

Mr. Soeth

  English 3 AP

January 26, 2011

REHUGO Analysis: Essay

A. “In Search of the Good Family”—Author: Jane Howard

B. In this essay, Howard states that everyone needs a ‘clan’ or ‘tribe’ to call their own; she supports this claim by sharing personal experiences and by presenting a compiled list of elements that signify whether or not a clan is a “good family.” Throughout the course of the passage, Howard utilizes anecdotes and cites reputable sources in order to prove that while one may not necessarily have the ability to choose their blood relatives, human beings have the power to select certain friends to become members of their extended family. Howard also uses comparison and contrast, as well as definition in order to illustrate what qualifies as a ‘good family.’

C. Evidence:

            a. By referring to the opinions of multiple credible sources, Howard successfully establishes her ethos. Throughout the passage, she cites reputable figures such as Aristotle, whose quotes concerning kinship are very reliable. In paragraph 4, she says, “Wishing to be friends, as Aristotle wrote, is quick work, but friendship is a slowly ripening fruit.” By referencing a wise figure such as Aristotle, Howard effectively conveys to her audience the importance of establishing close friendships. In paragraph eight, Howard cites the opinions of a social scientist regarding isolation and a need for “support systems.” As a result, the audience gives further credence to Howard’s argument.

            b. Emotional appeal is evident throughout Howard’s writing; she uses pathos in order to attain a sentimental and nostalgic response from the readers. By defining the term ‘family’ and by referring to scenarios that evoke reminiscent feelings and emotions from the audience, Howard grasps their attention. In paragraph thirteen, she says, “Catcher’s mitts, ballet slippers, overdue library books, and other signs of extrafamilial concerns are everywhere.” By referring to things commonly associated with one’s childhood, Howard effectively connects to her audience and reminds readers of their family, thus impressing upon them the importance family carries throughout the course of their life.

D. Rhetorical Strategies:

a. Comparison and Contrast: The use of comparison and contrast is found throughout the passage. For example, as Howard describes the characteristics of a “good family,” she lists qualities that loving, close-knit clans should have. In paragraph eleven, she says, “Good families have a switchboard operator—someone who…plays Houston Mission Control to everyone else’s Apollo.” By alluding to a figure which serves as a ‘leader,’ and by comparing the family to the Apollo, she demonstrates and stresses the necessity of having such a figure in the clan. Howard also juxtaposes relatives, and ‘chosen family members,’ or people that have been selected by individuals based on their close friendship. In paragraph two, she states, “If our relatives…cannot be our friends…we must try to transform our friends into our relatives. If blood and roots don’t do the job, then we must look to water and branches.” This is parallel to the statement made in paragraph eleven: “Sometimes clans based on water rather than blood harbor several such personages at one time.” In this statement, Howard is contrasting a blood-related family to a community or tribe of friends, therefore proving that in order to not be isolated and to be completely fulfilled, we must search for multiple clans of friends and family to satisfy our needs.

b. Definition: In order to show the audience what she means when repetitively referring to the “good family, Howard spends a majority of the excerpt supplying her definition of a “good family.” The entire foundation of the passage is based on exploring Howard’s meaning of the term “family.” She creates a list of ten points, each point supplying an additional definition and example of qualities that will be present and significant in a good family. She lists statements including: “Good families have a sense of place,” “Good families are hospitable,” etc. The passage depends heavily on definition; if Howard had not clearly defined what was considered a “good family,” then the audience would not have fully understood the message of the chapter. In paragraph sixteen, she says, “Good families prize their rituals…Rituals…evoke a past, imply a future, and hint at continuity.” She then provides a series of examples to explain the meaning of “rituals” in the context. By using specific examples and by describing her personal definition of the term family, Howard effectively stresses the importance of being a part of such a clan.  

MLA Citation:

Howard, Jane. "In Search of the Good Family." The Language of Composition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. 283-88. Print.

Rosano Cruz
English 3 AP
Mr. Soeth
January 25, 2011
REHUGO Analysis - Reading: Essay

A. Author: Jane Howard, Title of essay: In Search of the Good Family

B. The authors objective is to show you what a good family is and how important it is in life. Jane Howard gives you examples of what a good family is by using statements and traits.

C. Howard uses Logos by appealing to the readers of what a good family is. She states ten characteristics of a good family. She also uses logos by using terms by referring to family as a clan, tribe, kin, dynasty, blood, roots, and a patriarch. The author also use the terms network, surrogate mother, support system, and a extended family to show what a good family is and uses those terms in a effective way by giving examples of each ones meaning. The tone of words she uses tells you how important of a good family is by getting the reader to connect to their own family and showing them what a good family is.

D. The author uses repetition by repeating the effect of what a good family is. She repeats the ten characteristics of what a good family is and how she emphasizes traits of a happy family. She uses rhetorical strategy to better connect the readers attention toward of what she is trying to say to them. The effect of the rhetorical strategies and tone together adds depth into more of what a good family truly is. It really shows a true example of what a good family is.

REHUGO-Reading

Charlene Asuncion

Mr. Soeth

English 3 AP

January 26, 2011

REHUGO Analysis: Reading–Essay

A. Article: “In Search of the Good Family”– Author: Jane Howard

B. In the essay, “In Search of the Good Family,” Jane Howard claims that family is essential to humans and their well-beings. Regardless of whether or not people are biologically related, Howard defines family as the “clans or tribes,” or the people that surround you; they are the people you need and encounter each day, which may include peers, acquaintances, and even people in your community. In addition, Howard presents and explores the characteristics that make conventional families and new kinds of families meaningful communities.

C. Evidence

a. Howard uses pathos by addressing his audience in a call to action, “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.” In this, Howard emotionally ties her audience to her work by redefining family as friends. Also, Howard utilizes logos in referring to “new families” as terminology of the Bangwa tribe of the Cameroons, which “may consist of either friends of the road, ascribed by chance, or friends of the heart, achieved by choice.” Through this use of definition and logos, Howard reflects back to her claim that family extends beyond those genetically related to you.

b. Howard also establishes her ethos by referring to the intellectual fictional work of Kurt Vonnegut, known as Slapstick, “’…human beings need all the relatives they can get–as possible donors or receivers not of love but of common decency.” In the novel, Vonnegut considers extended family as “’one of the four greatest inventions of all time.’” This reference to Vonnegut’s novel supports Howard’s argument that family is essential to people and reveals how significantly family has impacted the life of Vonnegut, as a writer of individual and social scale.

D. Rhetorical Strategies

a. Allusion: Howard alludes to Aristotle’s philosophy on friendship in order to express the slow-paced development of a true friendship. Through this allusion, Howard metaphorically expresses to the reader that in order to be friends with another, one must take the time and true effort to get to know someone, “An ancient proverb he [Aristotle] quotes…you cannot know a man until you and he together have eaten a peck of salt.” This passage conveys that you do not truly know someone, unless you have spent a great amount of time getting to know him or her. Furthermore, Howard alludes to the Apollo spacecraft and the Houston Mission Control to exemplify how a family needs a person who is aware of the whereabouts of everyone else in the family. Howard states, “Good families have a switchboard operator– someone who can keep track of what all others are up to… who plays Houston Mission Control to everyone else’s Apollo.” Just as the people of Houston Mission Control does its job to watch and ensure the safety of the Apollo astronauts, a person in the family, like a mother, for example, watches over and takes care of her husband and children. Through these allusions, the audience is able to better connect the characteristics of family and friendship with tangible, real-life concepts to give a clearer understanding of Howard’s work.

b. Rhetorical Questions: On numerous accounts throughout the essay, Howard utilizes rhetorical questions such as, “What can such times teach us about forming new and more lasting tribes in the future?” and “What are we who lack children to do? Build houses? Plant trees? Write books or symphonies or laws?” These rhetorical questions are built up from facts and evidence presented before the questions in order to provoke thought in the audience or reader. For example, the passage, “Whatever ‘support systems’ may be, the need for them is clearly urgent, and not just in this country. Are there not thriving ‘mega-families’ of as many as three hundred people in Scandinavia?... Should we not applaud and maybe imitate such ingenuity?” presents evidence in the questions that support the idea in the previous sentence. The questions, in this case, include evidence and reflect back on the ideas presented that lead up to them. The effect of rhetorical questions is to engage the reader to the work by getting them to ponder the information provided.

MLA Citation

Howard, Jane. "In Search of the Good Family." 2008. The Language of Composition. Boston: Bedford, 2008. 283-88. Print.

Rachel Suizo

Mr. Soeth

English 3 AP

January 26, 2011

REHUGO Analysis – Reading: Essay

A. Title and Author – “Search of the Good Family” by Jane Howard

B. In the article, “Search of the Good Family”, the author Jane Howard states no matter who a person is, a family is needed.

C. Evidence

a. Howard establishes her ethos by stating quotes. She uses an experience with a friend stating “it gets harder and harder with the passage of time . . . you need support systems” which proves every person needs a family for support throughout life. By sharing her own experience, Howard proves her support is credible.

D. The author supports her position in the article by using logos. In the article, Howard defines various aspects that make up the ideal family when listing the ten characteristics of a family. Defining the parts that make up a family establishes the author's knowledge about family

E. Rhetorical Strategies

a. Howard uses classification and division to strengthen her position by categorizing the qualities needed to have a good family. As each quality is stated, each sentence begins with “Good families. . .” which creates a picture of what an ideal family pertains.

b. The author uses rhetorical questions to provoke thought in the article. She asks questions such as “Are there not thriving ‘mega-families’ of as many as three hundred people in Scandinavia?” and “Have not the Japanese for years had an honored, enduring . . . custom of adopting nonrelatives to fill gaps in their families?”. Asking those questions proves that family does not have to be specifically blood related but people you care for.

Citation:

Shea, Renee Hausmann., Lawrence Scanlon, and Robin Dissin. Aufses. "More

Working Parents Play "Beat the Clock"" The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing and Rhetoric. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. Print.