Unique Family Structures Displayed In Who Has Seen The Wind And To Set Our House In Order Essay, Research Paper

Unique Family Structures Displayed in

Who Has Seen the Wind and “To Set Our House in Order”

All households studied in Who Has Seen the Wind and “To Set Our House in Order,” include minor characters who have power, demonstrate acceptable behaviour yet fail to provide proper nurturing – all acting as major influences on the order with which the main characters conduct their lives.

The main characters in both works, both still quite young in their years, need older influences within the home to demonstrate power, in order to grow up with structure to be better people. Father Gerald O’Connal found within Brian’s home in Who Has Seen the Wind, is the first to have power within the home. He is one of the two main characters with power within the home as well as within the community because of his, “university education, his fine business and his fine home,” (Mitchell 17). He not only provides an income for his family, but provides his children with the structure in which they need to grow. The second character who has power, is Grandmother MacMurray. She is to take care of the family and look after young Brian. He knows to listen when she scolds, “If ye stay inside ye’ll disturb the baby. Ye must go out!,” (5). Brian has had to follow his grandmother’s strict rules and order since his mother became pre-occupied with Brian’s sick brother Bobbie. Similarly, Vanessa’s Grandmother MacLeod in “To Set Our House in Order,” is the main character who demonstrates power within her home. When

Vanessa becomes upset over her mother’s illness, her grandmother offers no consolation, only to say “Vanessa, big girls of ten don’t make such a fuss about things,” (45). She is a strong-willed, rigid woman possibly because it was never her intention to have to care for a family. Unfortunately, Grandmother MacLeod is obligated to take after the house and look after Vanessa until Vanessa’s mother conceives a child. Both works displayed three strong characters to demonstrate power within the home to help keep structure for the young main characters, who not only are seen to need structure but are in need of role models to demonstrate acceptable behaviour.

As children growing up in the early to mid twentieth century, the main characters Brian and Vanessa are in need for role models to demonstrate acceptable behaviour for them to follow as they grow up. Brian’s father Gerald O’Connal in Who Has Seen the Wind, is the first and most obvious character to demonstrate acceptable behaviour, as he is a well respected statured man with a strong family life. Within the novel, the author describes him as a “quiet, slow-smiling, and almost shy individual,” (17). The description makes the character always calm and in control during high pressure situations he faces all through the novel, whether they be with his sick child, problems within the community, or problems with his eldest son. Although little is seen of her in the novel, Brian’s mother Maggie O’Connal demonstrates acceptable behaviour within their home, as she spends most of her time with her sick baby in an effort to get home well. Brian’s feelings for the situation are indicated when the author states, “Brian hated his mother for spending so much time with the baby,” (4). However it was only proper for the time for the mother to assure the health of all their children as a first priority. In “To Set Our House in Order,” Grandmother MacLeod demonstrates acceptable behaviour just with her strong-willed regal manner. The author gives a strong description of her

saying,

Grandmother MacLeod kept her slight figure held straight and poised, as though she were unaware that her hair was bound and grotesquely like white-feathered wings in the snare of her coarse night-time hairnet (43). It was very appropriate in the day in age for a woman of her stature to keep her appearance very proper. Evidently, both main characters in the works studied have strong role models demonstration acceptable behaviour which aids in the construction of a solid foundation in the children’s lives.

Although the minor characters found within the homes studied in both works demonstrate power and acceptable behaviour as a solid foundation for the children, they still remain to provide a lack of nurturing. Brian’s mother is such a character seen in the novel who does not provide the nurturing he needs, not because she is a bad parent, but because of her pre-occupation with Brian’s sick brother. A quote from the novel displaying Brian’s feelings on his lack of nurturing, not only from his mother but his father and grandmother as well is, “Brian hated his father, mother and grandmother for spending so much time with the baby,” (4). Although it is not her choice to tend to the baby all hour of the day, it is her responsibility as a parent, and Brian must live with what his mother has to do in order to make his brother well again. His grandmother does not provide nurturing because she is pre-occupied, she does not provide the nurturing Brian needs because she is an old woman who is very set in her ways and does not have enough time for such a young child as Brian. Her power within the home and over Brian is even when “He turned to see his grandmother in the kitchen doorway, her mouth down curving in bitter disapproval. Brian slowly moved towards her.,” (19). This power makes her very strict and offers little room or time for Brian to act like a kid his age. Vanessa’s Grandmother MacLeod in “To Set Our

House in Order,” is similar in the way that she does not provide nurturing because she is unhappy having to take care of Vanessa’s family when she never intended to. Her grandmother reminds her, “You remember that Vanessa. God loves order – he wants each one of us to set our house in order,” (49). It clearly displays her grandmother’s need for strict rules and order and inability with no room for nonsense. Although appropriate to keep such order within the home at the time, Vanessa found it difficult to obey rules and follow order because of her mother’s illness, making a difficult situation. Both stories include unfortunate situations that causes the parents and elders of the main characters to become pre-occupied, and fail to provide the nurturing the children need as they grow up., which is part of the downfall in both of the studied works.

The minor characters found within the home in both Who Has Seen the Wind and “To Set Our House in Order,” are successful in their efforts to show and demonstrate power as well as demonstrate acceptable behaviour, both aiding as a guideline for the children who are the main characters. Yet they fail to provide proper nurturing the children need, which is important in any child’s life as they grow – to get attention, feel loved and wanted. Both making for an uncomfortable balance in the works studied.

Bibliography

Mitchell, William Ormond. Who Has Seen the Wind.

Toronto, Ontario. MacMillan Canada. 1993