Family

Family can mean something different to everyone. Whether it's the people who share the same blood as you or those who are close to you, everyone has a family. "Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten"(Lilo and Stitch). They are the people who support you through thick and thin. The type of family you have can vary. There is not a single family who is exactly alike. Barbara Kingsolver shows a good job of this in her essay "Stone Soup". People in a family love each other. They support one another even when times get rough. To be a family does not just mean to be born into one. Having a family means knowing that there are people who you have your back no matter what happens. The function of a family is to care and to be there for each other. The purpose of a family is love and help one another succeed. Not to tear each other down. Family is shown a lot throughout the novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. 

An example of family is shown in the essay "Stone Soup", " The sooner we can let go of the fairy tale of families functioning perfectly in isolation, the better we might embrace the relief of community" (Kingsolver). Not every family is perfect, but people are so caught up in the times where every family was alike. When they see a family that is not traditional, they automatically start to judge. People don't realize that times are changing. Not every family has to be "perfect" to be a good family. The quicker we realize this, the quicker we will be able to accept families for who they are. 

Another example of family shown in "Stone Soup" is "The cheering section includes his mother and her friends, his brother,his father and stepmother, a stepbrother and stepsister, and a grandparent"(Kingsolver). This quote shows that even though this family isn't traditional, these people are still happy. Everyone came to support that little boy and that's the true meaning of family. Others may see this family as broken, but in reality it is as strong as ever. 

The third quote shows that family is found in the novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn " The card said: For Francie on graduation day. Love from Papa"(Smith 351). Johnny was an alcoholic, but that didn't stop him from loving his family. The Nolans loved and cared for each other, even if they weren't the perfect family. Francie knew that her father still loved her, though he had been going through a rough time in his life. The purpose of a family is to love even if someone is going through something. None of this stopped Francie from caring about her father. 

The final quote about family is stated in the novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn " put her head down on the table and cried in great ugly tearing sobs. Sissy put her arms around her and spoke in her gentle caressing voice"(Smith 293).  A family is a group of people you can go to when times get rough. Johnny had just died, which was a devastating moment for Katie, but at least she had her sisters and kids by her side. She didn't have to face anything alone. 

In conclusion, every family has a purpose. It can be to love and support or to help each other grow. There is no such thing as a "perfect family". A family with stepmothers and siblings is just as good as a family with a mom and dad. Family is important because they help you through everything and they support you.