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The Smell of Salt
Jesenia Alix
Professor Crowe
English 101
06 October 2009
The family is the primary part of life in our society. Every family has strenuous situations through out existence in the real world; is it possible to have an ideal life when we are individuals that make up a family? An individual without fault doesn’t see the substantial picture. In the article In Growing Pains: “ One Big Happy Family” by Anndee Hochman emphasizes my agreement with all families having strenuous situations that examine each person’s idea of perfection.
In the beginning Anndee describes her relationship with her family as unique. Anndee Hochman growing up assumed that she had a superb life through out her early years. Her favorite memories seem centered around a summerhouse her family spent her summers in a house that wasn’t sophisticated. She relished the security and familiarity of the imperfections of the house and all of the family members that crowded it. It wasn’t newly painted; no doors for each tilted step accented with a red picket fence. The smell of salt could transport Anndee back to the place she felt most accepted and understood. It represents the memories she shared with her family during their stay at the summerhouse. In Anndee Hochman’s family it didn’t matter if the house was not to its full potential, or if the family
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Members weren’t perfect. Anndee enjoyed the uniqueness of the house because everyone accepted it the way it was. In addition everyone was accepted in it.
As Anndee advanced in her years she was surprised by her own individuality. Some of which her mother later described subversive . She came to understand her “authentic” self. She sought truth in the statements her mother made to her as a child such as “ follow your dreams.” She confronted her mother about her identity and hoped for her to embrace her honesty. However, according to the article, Anndee’s mother acted negatively towards her...