The Bean Trees is an appropriate book for the study of the American family because it shows the reader how the differences in the ways that people are brought up shapes their individual consciousness. For example, Louann is from a "down-home" traditional southern family, and Taylor is grew up in what is often discribed as a broken home(father leaving the wife and child). Taylor, of course, is the stereotypical character of someone who grew up in a broken home. She is strong-willed, and like her mother said, "barefoot and pregnant ain't her style." She is sassy, adventurous and a hard worker who is not afraid to get a job and provide for herself and her child. LouAnn, being from the traditional southern family, was quick to settle down(although she did go to Arizona) and get married. She was a traditional stay-at-home, nurturing mother. The Bean Trees does a great job of illustrating the way a person's family up-bringing affects their personality.

    As far as Family Ties goes, it is a great example of the mid-late 80's conception of the perfect family. The parents are very much still in love, are successful, and have several interesting children, who are all successful in their own ways. In class on Thursday, the idea that the show had excessive patriachical influence came to the floor. I cannot help but disagree with the fact that Family Ties was a show that degraded women in any way. In the context of the times, this show, like the Cosby show was ahead of its time in that the mother was a successful career woman. If I remember correctly, mainstream society was never comfortable with the idea of the working, career driven mother(arguement can be made that it still is not)until the late 1990's. So in this sense, I do not believe that Family Ties was too male dominant(or enter whatever word we used in class). One can argue back that maybe I am right with Alise, but the show still has issues with patriarchy concerning Mallory(Jennifer is not a strong argument). Since Mallory is a campy, over-the-top example of a woman's stereotypical love of shopping, one can say that this is a reflection of chovinism in the show. I would offer the point that in many tv sitcoms, the childrens personalities are exaggerated for comic effect and entertainment value. Alex Keaton is portrayed as ridiculously republican person just because he is young and interested in politics. Other examples of campy character traits in sitcom children are Carlton Bank's lack of common sense and extreme dorkiness, Beaver Cleavers politeness, the list goes on. Family Ties is a campy family show that seems to project the ideal of the perfect 80's family, or at least what some people think is the perfect 80's family.