Family A Review of The Color of Water and Poetry

Questions to consider thematically… How do we define a family? How do we define a family? What does an individual need from his/her family? What does an individual need from his/her family? What do individual family members owe each other? What do individual family members owe each other? What happens when those expectations are met or are not met? What happens when those expectations are met or are not met? What are the potential sources of conflict and stress in a family? What are the potential sources of conflict and stress in a family? How do our needs/expectations of family change as we age? How do our needs/expectations of family change as we age? How, when, and why do we choose responsibility to ourselves and responsibility to our family members? How, when, and why do we choose responsibility to ourselves and responsibility to our family members?

How do we define a family? CW - love and affection/ Ruth didn’t have it, so she gave it CW - love and affection/ Ruth didn’t have it, so she gave it Poem # 2 – acceptance Poem # 2 – acceptance The boss – devotion The boss – devotion CW – supportive CW – supportive CW - forgiving (mom’s forgiveness) CW - forgiving (mom’s forgiveness) CW – every family has negatives, inspite of them there is still love on some level CW – every family has negatives, inspite of them there is still love on some level

What does an individual need from his/her family? CW – Acceptance (Ruth didn’t have it, Dee Dee did) CW – Acceptance (Ruth didn’t have it, Dee Dee did) Poem 1 – Attention when they are young/ time Poem 1 – Attention when they are young/ time CW – James’ alone time with his mom and excitement CW – James’ alone time with his mom and excitement CW –guidance, Ruth’s family in NY CW –guidance, Ruth’s family in NY CW – discipline (Ruth hit her kids) CW – discipline (Ruth hit her kids) CW – Resource financially/emotionally CW – Resource financially/emotionally

What do individual family members owe each other? CW - To be a part of each other’s lives, support, live up to expectations (Dee Dee, Ruth to James, Ruth to Tateh) CW - To be a part of each other’s lives, support, live up to expectations (Dee Dee, Ruth to James, Ruth to Tateh) Gratitude- poem #4 Gratitude- poem #4

What happens when those expectations are met or are not met? CW – Met = help and Not Met = closed doors CW – Met = help and Not Met = closed doors

What are the potential sources of conflict and stress in a family? CW – Religion (Ruth not allowed to graduate) CW – Religion (Ruth not allowed to graduate) CW – Poverty CW – Poverty CW- Not feeling enough love/attention; Ruth in her family CW- Not feeling enough love/attention; Ruth in her family

How do our needs/expectations of family change as we age? CW – needs become less as we become our own person CW – needs become less as we become our own person Poem #3 – narrators turn to plow once father ages Poem #3 – narrators turn to plow once father ages CW-Ruth has to start to take care of her mother as she ages-roles become reversed CW-Ruth has to start to take care of her mother as she ages-roles become reversed

How, when, and why do we choose responsibility to ourselves and responsibility to our family members? CW – James going to Jack’s (Chicken Man), Ruth going to New York CW – James going to Jack’s (Chicken Man), Ruth going to New York CW – Ruth helping her mother, leaving again to find herself CW – Ruth helping her mother, leaving again to find herself