Family Sacrifice Essay

Sacrifice for the Sake of Family The idea of family is something that most people strive to have, and they make great journeys and sacrifices in order to maintain the integrity of their family. The bonds of family can motivate a person to make big changes for the betterment of their family. In many cases, a person will sever a piece of their self in order to maintain the integrity of their family. People will go to great lengths to maintain their families, as is evident in “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty, “Babylon Revisited” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and “Intervention” by Jill McCorkle. Phoenix Jackson makes a long journey with great challenges to get medicine for her ill grandson in “A Worn Path”. Phoenix has made this journey before,

This is very clear in “Babylon Revisited”, as Charlie is straightening out his own life in order to be given custody of his daughter Honoria. Charlie used to be a man who drank all the time, but he has cut back to just one drink a day and he is very restrictive about this. Even when he is offered another, he declines. “I take only one drink every afternoon, and I’ve had that.” (Fitzgerald 523). Charlie is cleaning himself up to be a suitable parent for Honoria. Even though his wife, Helen, passed away tragically, Charlie is adamant about keeping her memory alive with Honoria. “I don’t want you to forget about her” (Fitzgerald 526). In his mind, it keeps his dreams of being a family alive. If Honoria ever forgot who her mother was, Charlie would not have anything to hold on to. Charlie shows great restraint and growth, even when faced with the news of not being granted custody on Honoria. He chooses to be better than his past self and to still be a good parent to Honoria. He stays true to his new self in hope that one day he will be granted custody. He even refuses to have a drink after hearing the news. “But he wanted his child, and nothing was much too good now, beside that fact’ (Fitzgerald 535). Charlie has proven that he has made great changes in his life in order to get Honoria back, in order to put his family back

Together they make choices for the betterment of their family. The relationship that Marilyn and Sid have in “Intervention” is one that works to maintain the integrity of their family. Marilyn is loyal to her husband, Sid. She defends him, even when their children are coming after him. She will not allow her children to tear apart their father’s character. “Sid doesn’t lie to me” (McCorkle 990). Marilyn protects Sid on the basic level, as well as on a larger, more serious level. After Sid’s accident, caused by drinking and driving, Marilyn takes the blame, saying she was the one driving. She maintains Sid’s fatherly role as protector in doing so. Sid also protects Marilyn from the children. He never reveals Marilyn’s dark past to them, never cuts her character down. He shielded the family from the hurt of Marilyn’s unfaithfulness, as well as saved her from the public shame of her family. “He never brought up anything once it had passed…” (McCorkle 991). Marilyn even goes as far as to pass off blame for the intervention. She does this to protect Sid from the embarrassment of the whole thing, and to maintain her role as loving, trusting wife with Sid. “No, I didn’t have nothing to do with this.” (McCorkle 994). Both Sid and Marilyn have done things to maintain the integrity of their