Back in the day

Looking for work....

This essay was great. Soto did a great job capturing the view of a child. The entire tone of the essay was carefree and easy, when in fact, the family situation was, not so great. While reading I felt like I was there with the kids, looking for work, and doing what kids do. It reminded me of my childhood. I wasn't forced to work by any means, but I have always been a little entrepreneur. I would clean out my toy box and load up my rusty red wagon with treasure that I could hopefully sell to the neighbors. I would go out all day and just talk with neighbors and do my best to sucker them into my treasure, actually it was junk, but in my mind back then they were the best. The entire essay was very literal and didn't involve much critical thinking, however, I took a lot from it and I felt that the author did a great job helping me remember the world through a child's eyes.




I've always wanted to go back to the 1950's....but not anymore.

This essay discussed the 1950's and how much it impacted the rest of the time. (well that was just a little part of the essay) After reading the essay I don't feel at all compelled to go back in time and live in the 1950's. There was too much sexism, discrimination, racism, and the list could go on forever. The way that the family was present was absurd. People in that time strived so much for the perfect image, but in all actuality that can never be obtained. In fact, with that striving for perfection families were segregated with divorce and scandal. This essay was great because it really opened my mind and helped me see that the 1950's weren't all they were cracked up to be. Coontz made it clear that in the 50's the families were not perfect, however, what family is perfect? I think that in all time periods there are and will be problems with keeping the family united. Back in the 50's families struggled with the judging eye of neighbors, and the perfect image that they felt needed to be followed. Now days, the struggle is scandal, divorce, the economy, and many many more problems. When it comes down to the wire, the most important factor to a family is that there is love and respect for one another. In the first essay that we read about looking for a job I realized that even though the family didn't have the best amenities, and they didn't live up to the picture perfect image, they still had each other.

I appreciate both essays and I think they brought some very good prospectives to the table. I realize that all times are hard, but what matters is what you take learn from the trials. The first essay was very literal and quite easy to read, but the second on really opened my mind and made me think more analytically and interpretively. I enjoyed both essays very much.