The document discusses 5 different types of family structures: 1) Traditional families with married parents and children, 2) Single-parent families led by either the mother or father, 3) Extended families with multiple generations living together, 4) Childless families consisting of couples without children, and 5) Older families who have children later in life, around age 40. Each family type faces different challenges, but thriving families share strong emotional bonds and a focus on core family values. The film Raising Arizona portrays examples of some of these non-traditional family structures.

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Morgan Galloway
Mr. McNeil
ENG 1101
6 October 2012
Raising Arizona
Raising Arizona is a microcosm of the many types of family
structures that exist in the United States. There are 5 different family units
that I will identify. Each has opposite views on how they will live and
maintain. Some manage to keep good values and prosper but others
eventually die under the pressure of life and its harsh realities. Built on to
well-balanced values are the families that learn to maintain and lead others
to great success. Families that use unorthodox or harsher disciplinary
methods most likely lead to harmful emotional problems and can lead social
problems as well. In all families must have structure to maintain under the
many pressures of society.
The traditional family can be identified as a hard-working father, the
stay at-home mother, and their children. This unit only works if each
member maintains their workload and each has a strong emotional base. The
stress from outside forces is exerted on each subunit and will cause some to

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feel as though they have a higher workload than others when in reality their
stress is in a different form, which is why a strong emotional base is needed.
This unit is not exempt from problems but is the most admired by all
because they band together and deal with a problem in a intelligent and
efficient way. They get stronger from every issue they get over and love
even more. Children born into this family feel more loved and have greater
social skills. They also usually have constant economic upbringing, which is
also key to maintaining this type of family. Traditional families also focus
on family values and honorable ways. Originating in the 1950’s this type of
family was the view of the American dream and what all strived to achieve
at that time and what many still do today. It is the most sought after family
because of its fostering nature that brings children together in a loving way.
Designed to please all involved it was once the cornerstone of American
culture.
The second type of family is the single parent family with either the
mother or father being parenting force to one or more children. The reason
for the transform from two parents to one is most likely the death of a
parent. There are instances however where one parent must take
responsibility of both because the other doesn’t feel the need to be there for
the child due to their lost love in their spouse or the child itself. This type of

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family almost always leads to emotional problems in the child later because
they did not receive they proper parenting from either the father or mother.
Teenage pregnancies contribute the most to this family because either group
feels trapped by the responsibility of taking care of child and withdraws
from the situation leaving the other with all the work of parenting the child.
One of the positives of this situation is that traditionally in this type of
family is that parents and children more likely to help each other in
household chores and other issues (http://ezinearticles.com). The most
pressing need of the parent in this situation is childcare, which causes more
pressure as opposed to other families with two parents. In the separation or
divorce of the parent’s issues of custody battles can arise and also cause
emotional problems in children. This makes one of the parents the primary
caregiver where the child spends the most of their time, which can cause
stigmas between parents and children. In another situation adoption is viable
that younger parents chose because of their low financial state. In all single
parent homes tend to not be viable option for parents because of their effect
on children.
Another family type is the extended family where not only parents
and children live together. Grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins may parent
children at times when their biological parents have died or cannot be there

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to take care of them (http://ezinearticles.com). This places a large demand on
caregiverswho choose to perform these duties for extended families
(http://en.wikipedia.org). Extended families can be seen in different
countries or communities all over the world. This type of joint family often
includes multiple generations throughout the family
(http://en.wikipedia.org). From culture to culture this change in the order of
command has many different meanings. Patriarchal families are one these
examples in some cultures the son’s family lives in parents home. The
patriarch or the oldest member of the family has the highest amount of
authority and lays down the rules (http://en.wikipedia.org). Sometimes the
grandparent has the adult children move in with them. In the other the
grandparents move in with the adult parent this usually has to do with care
giving reasons. In extended families they enjoy certain advantages such as a
greater sense of security and belonging due to the amount of family presence
that resides there. They tend to gather for family events in order to grow
stronger together and support emotionally and financially. Economics have
become the prominent factor in the likelihood of living in an extended
family (.http://en.wikipedia.org)
The fourth type of family is the childless family, which is what
Raising Arizona focused on. This family is group or couple who have for

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whatever reason not had any children. The childless family is sometimes
called “The Forgotten Family” because they do not meet the standards that
other families have created. Childless families consist of a husband and wife
working and living together. In Raising Arizona Ed could not bear children,
which caused great sorrow to her and resulted in her crime of stealing a child
to end her emotional pain. Adoption was an option but due to the system
tending to find the family with most chance of yielding a happy child, Ed
and Hi were not able to attain child legally. Their family structure was
flawed due to the fact that they did not have anyone to be responsible for,
which causes some to take a different ways to maintain happiness. Many of
these families take on pet ownership or an extensive contract with their
nieces or nephews to substitute as children. Hi and Ed’s act made them learn
that they must feel happy within them selves before they take away someone
else’s. In the end they did stay together but only due to their love with one
another. In other situations families choose to remain childless because they
would like to focus on their careers or the hobby of traveling. Childless
families can exist happily but all must be secure in their happiness and not
depend on others to make them feel better.
The last type of family is the older family. This is a family who chose
to have kids in their mid-life which is around 40. The reasons for such a wait

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are many. Many couples chose to have kids after their careers have solid
foundation, which is what my parents chose to do at about 34. Many see
their 20’s as an age to experiment and experience freedom
(.http://health.howstuffworks.com). At what age some feel they are not able
psychologically to handle at the time. Many women feel they are not able to
a mate able to handle fatherhood. There are many positive aspects to having
a child late. Parents at that age are at the of height of their earning power, so
the child has financial stability growing up. Having many life experiences
middle-aged parents are ready to be parents, they also have a sense of
identity, which means they will not need a child to do that for them. Having
a child in midlife gives parents a sense of renewal. Adults have a real value
of life itself so they value time with their child at all times. There are also
negatives about this parents at this age have less energy and wonder if they
have enough energy to keep up with their kids. They wonder if they will be
alive to see their grandchildren being born. They wonder if their values will
be the same as the child due to the schisms that eventually happen at around
that age. They also wonder if they will be burden early in the child’s life due
to their age difference (http://health.howstuffworks.com). Older parents have
very great advantages usually financial, and negatives due to energy loss as
age increases(http://health.howstuffworks.com).

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In conclusion all families have different structures and different
origins. Every family is centered on children and their overall happiness. Not
matter the origin the family has something that holds it together whether it is
a unit or a single person. The ones that survive are those who focus on
family values and unity. In all that I have talked about the film Raising
Arizona is a microcosm of the many types of family structures that exist in
the United States.