In the U.S., the biggest changes in the family are in its structure and changing priorities. In the past century, and particularly in recent decades, the definition of the family has widened to be inclusive of a spectrum of family structures, not just nuclear or traditional families. Less people are getting married and the divorce rate has increased, as have single parent homes and cohabitation, while birth rates have decreased. Ideas about gender roles in families have also been challenged with the women’s rights movement and the legalization of same sex marriage. There has also been an increase in interracial and interreligious marriages. (Moore and Asay, pg. 28, 35).
Vasant and Champa had an arranged, traditional Indian marriage and a traditional …show more content…
The use of Biodata sheets allows the family, mainly Ravi’s parents, to ensure that whatever girl he chooses will be of their same race, religion, and be a Patel. Many of the theories mentioned in the text agree that “to raise children responsibly, to provide economic support, and to give family members emotional security” (Moore and Asay, pg. 31) are three essential functions of a family. The concept of cultural homogamy and maintaining it allows families to ensure that their partners and their children’s partners will have an identical or at least very similar set of values to themselves. This consensus on morals and values makes it easier for families to make decisions about how to best achieve these three functions, and could reduce the need for arguments and the need compromising their opinions, priorities, or cultural traditions and values. While this may have worked fairly easily for the Patel’s in India, it becomes much more difficult to achieve while living in the U.S, where homogamy is becoming less important in many families, and in the culture overall, especially in the generation that Ravi and Geeta are a part of. According to the text, interracial U.S. marriages have gone from 0.7% of all messages to 5% in three decades. (Moore an Asay, pg. 35). Religious homogamy is even less of a priority, with 37% of US marriages not being in religious homogamy. (Moore …show more content…
Vasant and Champa live in the US, and the differences between Indian and American culture have an effect on them and particularly on their children. Ravi and Geeta, as well as the parents, are part of two cultures, as are many families in the U.S. Families in this situation often find themselves trying to balance “value systems and behaviors” in order to belong in both of the cultures that they belong to, which can lead to significant conflict and need to compromise. (Moore and Asay, pg. 107). By contrast, the extended family in India is completely immersed in Indian culture, and when Ravi and the family go to visit, Ravi finds that the extended family in India doesn’t even question the traditional system for marriage there. Some of Ravi’s American friends at home have the opposite influence. There is a scene where they are all having lunch together, and Ravi’s friends are acting very confused about the idea of arranged marriage, and while they don’t directly say they are against it, it appears to make some of them somewhat uncomfortable, as it is an idea that they’re not used
Vasant and Champa had an arranged, traditional Indian marriage and a traditional …show more content…
The use of Biodata sheets allows the family, mainly Ravi’s parents, to ensure that whatever girl he chooses will be of their same race, religion, and be a Patel. Many of the theories mentioned in the text agree that “to raise children responsibly, to provide economic support, and to give family members emotional security” (Moore and Asay, pg. 31) are three essential functions of a family. The concept of cultural homogamy and maintaining it allows families to ensure that their partners and their children’s partners will have an identical or at least very similar set of values to themselves. This consensus on morals and values makes it easier for families to make decisions about how to best achieve these three functions, and could reduce the need for arguments and the need compromising their opinions, priorities, or cultural traditions and values. While this may have worked fairly easily for the Patel’s in India, it becomes much more difficult to achieve while living in the U.S, where homogamy is becoming less important in many families, and in the culture overall, especially in the generation that Ravi and Geeta are a part of. According to the text, interracial U.S. marriages have gone from 0.7% of all messages to 5% in three decades. (Moore an Asay, pg. 35). Religious homogamy is even less of a priority, with 37% of US marriages not being in religious homogamy. (Moore …show more content…
Vasant and Champa live in the US, and the differences between Indian and American culture have an effect on them and particularly on their children. Ravi and Geeta, as well as the parents, are part of two cultures, as are many families in the U.S. Families in this situation often find themselves trying to balance “value systems and behaviors” in order to belong in both of the cultures that they belong to, which can lead to significant conflict and need to compromise. (Moore and Asay, pg. 107). By contrast, the extended family in India is completely immersed in Indian culture, and when Ravi and the family go to visit, Ravi finds that the extended family in India doesn’t even question the traditional system for marriage there. Some of Ravi’s American friends at home have the opposite influence. There is a scene where they are all having lunch together, and Ravi’s friends are acting very confused about the idea of arranged marriage, and while they don’t directly say they are against it, it appears to make some of them somewhat uncomfortable, as it is an idea that they’re not used