Family Portrait

808 Words2 Pages

Introduction
“Family Portrait” by Pink portrays a social problem that is unfortunately rampant in American society today; divorce. I chose this song because I am an adult child of divorce and this song helped me a lot during my parents' initial separation and subsequent divorce years later. I feel that this song gives a voice to children everywhere who are dealing with parental divorce and expressing thoughts and emotions that many children cannot express to their parents. Nowadays it is not uncommon to know one or even several people whose parents are divorced or whose own marriages have ended in divorce. Divorce has far reaching effects; not only for the couple but among the entire family.
Summary
“Family Portrait” is a song about a girl whose parents are going through a difficult divorce. This emotional song is sung from the point of view of young Pink and describes a lot of the thoughts and emotions that a child goes through when his or her parents are going through separation and divorce. In the song, Pink is singing to her mother and father; asking them to stop fighting because she doesn't want her father to leave. She begs her mother to stop crying because her mother’s emotional pain is taking a toll on her. She describes hearing yelling and breaking glasses during her parent’s fights. Her parents fight over financial problems and their children. This leads her to blame herself for her parent’s problems. She even offers to change her own behavior, such as not spilling her milk and going to bed on time, if her parents stay together. Young Pink runs away from the fighting, which she refers to as “WWIII”, but knows that she has to return home. She expresses that she “doesn’t know what love could be” and that she doesn’t...

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...nication between the couple, teach them how to handle challenges in the relationship, and teach them how to maintain intimacy and trust (Polomeno 23-4). Properly preparing married couples for the struggles of parenthood can prevent a lot of conflict and feelings of isolation or emotional abandonment; thus preventing the dissolution of a family.

Works Cited

Chyi, Catherine R. "Lessons from China?: Keeping Divorce Rates Low in the Modern Era." Pacific McGeorge Global Business & Development Law Journal (2011): 285-313.
P!nk. "Family Portrait." Prod. S Storch. Burbank: Arista Records Inc, 2001. CD.
Polomeno, V. " Divorce Prevention And Perinatal Education ." International Journal Of Childbirth Education 23.4 (2008): 21-25.
Shansky, Janet. "Negative Effects Of Divorce On Child And Adolescent Psychosocial, Adjustment." Journal Of Pastoral Counseling (2002): 73-87.

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