Family is a single word, with many different meanings. People have many different ways of defining a family and what being part of a family means to them. When i looked up the definition of a family online, it said “A fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.” This definition is wrong in my mind because there are other family structures excluded by this statement. In the excerpt Stone Soup by Barbara Kingsolver, she also expresses family and it’s true meaning to her. Barbara says, “Divorce, remarriage, single parenthood, gay parents, and blended families simply are. They’re facts of our time.” This quote proves that there is no perfect family. It proves that out of all the possible family structures people have, none are wrong. She also states,”To judge a family by it’s tidy symmetry is to purchase a book for it’s cover.” This shows her belief that no family should be judged. It shows that she believes that a family is a family, no matter the size, or differences it has to the so called “traditional family.”

In the book A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith, family is a big factor throughout the whole book. The Nolan Family went through hard times, but stuck together as a family through it all. Katie Nolan was an extremely good mother to her children. Smith states, “I want him to be a doctor. He must be a doctor." A big part of a family is always pushing each other to do better, and work their way up to success. This quote really shows how much Katie cared and wanted to push her children to have a better life in the future. She believes in Neeley and knows that if he puts his mind to it, he can accomplish the difficult task of becoming a doctor. Your family should encourage you to aim high and help you get there. Also, A Tree grows in Brooklyn expresses true family when Katie states, “No I will make this baby live.” She is saying that even though she knows how weak and tiny Francie was when she was born, she is never going to give up on her. She is going to fight to keep her baby alive because she is her baby and she loves her. In A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Stone Soup, true signs of family and what family is all about are shown thoughout each reading.