Saxon George

Prof Mark Jarvis

Marriage 2400
11/4/15

Older Person Interview

Paper
By Saxon George

I interviewed my grandparents and my grandmas sister about

what they thought is an important aspect of family life to them. I interviewed
my grandpa and asked him what he thought about family life in the olden
days and he said that his family would eat together as a family instead of
getting it while you were out. My Grandpa compared it to now a days how
you have your cell phone, but back than there were no cell phones. Which
would make you have to sit down in front of each other and talk while you
were eating.
Our next topic we talked about was marriage. Collectively they said in
the olden days divorce was not acceptable, and people would frown on the
action. People back than would judge you, and ask you why you were
divorced? Divorce had a negative image in a family. They got married at a
young age (around 18 to 20 years old); whereas now a days people get
married at an older age and stayed married an average of 10 years.
My Grandpa said that more people are going to college. Because it is
easier to get a high school diploma now than it is back then. Another
negative aspect is that its very expensive for people to afford to go to
college. People are having a hard time getting the money to go to college
The next topic that we talked about was when people chose to be
single. They were either referred to as old maids for the women or old
bachelors for the men, it is perfectly common to be single now than it was
back than .
Our next topic that we are talking about is the view on the childs role
of the family. How children were to be seen and not heard back then. And
birthdays were big because everybody came and it was an opportunity for
families to get together and connect with each other, and it deepens the
bonds of family hood. It is harder for people now in days to see their families

because of work and school going on, and you are usually too busy to see
them because there is a lot going on in your life.
For the conclusion to wrap it all up families back than were a lot closer
and they did more stuff together. Because there wasnt that much going on
and it was a lot easier to spend time with families. Whereas now people have
activities going on and less time to be together. And having no cell phone
made dinner more connectable for people to talk to each other. Also back
than divorce was not common and it was referred to as a negative impact on
the family image so people didnt do it. One thing I also learned was that
being single back than was referred to as old maids for women and old
bachelors for men, which I thought was really interesting because I did not
know that. I also learned from the college part that it was harder for common
people to go to college in the olden days. I really enjoyed getting to know
what it was like back than compared to now and it is so amazing how so
much has, changed just from hearing about this topic from my grandpa. I
really liked learning about the olden days because it sounded interesting. .

In companionate marriages, spouses were expected to supply each

other with companionship, friendship, romantic love, and mutually gratifying
sexual intimacy. Held together by love and friendship between spouses
rather than social obligations, characterized by egalitarian as opposed to the
earlier patriarchal ideals for marriage, and encouraging spouses to focus on
self-development and expression, the companionate marriage was the widely
shared cultural ideal by the 1950s. . (Strong & Cohen, 2014 Pg. 273)

Works Cited
Strong, B, & Cohen, T. F. (2014). The marriage and family experience:
Intimate relationships in a changing society (12th Ed.). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth