Meaning Of Family In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

The famous Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy once said that, “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”. When comparing happy families, they are happy for similar reasons, but when comparing unhappy families there are an infinite number of reasons of why they can be unhappy. Although this may not be a definition of family, it is most definitely an interpretation of family itself. Family cannot be defined, family itself it to complex not only when it comes to defining the meaning of family but also a family itself can be too difficult to comprehend. The three works that prove that family is too difficult to comprehend is A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, and lastly The Parenthood

movie, by Ron Howard.
In A Raisin in the Sun, we are exposed to all the difficulties life can bring us, and shown that family is important to everyone regardless of the circumstances.

Lorraine Hansberry explains that family is a group of individuals who can come in unison and stand strongly together. Although there is no ideal family, because no family can ever be alike, each family comes with their own complications and struggles. “There is always something left to love. And if you ain’t learned that you ain’t learned nothing.” [Hansberry 135]. Mama explains to Beneatha, that even though she may not be on the best terms with Walter that at this point in his life where he is doubtful of himself, this is when he needs to be loved the most. Mama tells her that she must love him even when there is nothing to left to love. As we grow, we must realize that loving someone regardless of who they are it may be hard at times and things may get complicated, but you must love through it all especially when the person doesn’t love themselves anymore. The Younger’s family shows us, how difficult family can be, when everyone wants to be their own

person.
The Crucible was probably the most frustrating play, with all the lies, the drama and all the unnecessary deaths. In this play, the word loyalty is not in any of their vocabulary mostly when it comes to John Proctor’s and Abigail’s relationship. In the play we soon realized that the two had had an affair, and Abigail was prepared to do anything to take him away from his wife, Elizabeth. Most people, would ask Elizabeth why would she stay or why would she continue to go on with all of this deceit, but the answer is family. Nonetheless John is her husband as well as her family and families do things for each other that no person in the right state of mind would. Elizabeth is asked if she knows anything about the affair between her husband and Abigail but in her way of trying to protect her husband’s name she lies. “To your own knowledge, has John Proctor ever committed the crime of lechery” Paris asks her, she replies “No, sir” [Miller 91]. Elizabeth knowing the consequences still lied for her husband, despite all the cruel things he has done to her throughout their marriage.
Only the people who have grown up without a father will be the only people who ever understand how important it really is to have a father in your life. The movie Parenthood exposes all the complications that family can come with and all the sacrifices, you have to make to make other people happy. In the movie Helen one of the main characters is going through a lot, she has a daughter who is pregnant and a troubled son who doesn’t want to talk to her. As the movie goes on, her daughter Julie’s boyfriend Todd decides to have a talk with Garry who is the troubled son, and he makes Helen realize that he isn’t troubled, he is just in need of a father figure. Todd tells Helen that “You need a license to buy a dog, or drive a car. Hell, you need a license to catch a fish! But they’ll let any butt-reaming a**hole be a father” [Howard, Parenthood]. Which is a very true statement, there is nothing that forbids anyone to be a parent even if they aren’t ready or will ever be a good one. Life can be a very bumpy road, but as long as you are surrounding yourself with supportive people, nothing can stop you.
One of the infinite definitions of family is, “A group consisting of parents and children living together in a household”.

Looking at this definition, we really don’t understand the real meaning of family, you could parents and children living together but that doesn’t make them a family. However, that’s the real question, what makes a family? Not even the smartest man alive could probably answer that, because being a family isn’t about sharing relatives or even being related in any type of way. Family can consist of just a group of friends; family can be a human and animal. Family can be anything because there aren’t any guidelines to what a family should be. This why family is indefinable because how can you give something a definition, when that specific definition may not apply to every scenario. No family is alike, and will ever be alike and to prove this, the works by Lorraine Hansberry, Arthur Miller, and Ron Howard have showed you all the ways family can be much more than just a definition in a book or even a word. They have exposed you to all the different ways of being a family, and all the sacrifices that you sometimes have to make to benefit you and your family. A real family will always be more than just a definition in a

book.