Breaking Family Ties

Thai Ngo Barbara Estermann English 96 February 25, 2013 “Breaking Family Ties” Norman Rockwell’s “Breaking Family Ties” gives us a look into the change of the post Great Depression and World War II generation. How America itself had changed so much in the passed 25 years from the greatest economic depression to being the greatest country on earth. It also shows the heartbreaking moment of a boy preparing to leave his father and dog and be on his own for the first time.

The father, tired from a life of hard works, sacrificed everything so that his son can go to college; the young man, representing the post Great Depression and World War II generation, is making a better life than what his father had by getting higher education. In Norman Rockwell’s painting “Breaking Family Ties”, a boy sits with his father and dog preparing to leave for college. The young man and his father sit on a board of the family farm truck. At the bottom corner of the painting, shows a single rail. Suggesting that they are waiting for a train. On the ground is the son’s suitcase with a “State U” sticker.

Books are stacked on top of the suitcase. The young man has his tie and socks perfectly matched, and is wearing white trouser and matching jacket. Sitting with his hand folded, the young man looked eagerly toward the train track, ready for the next chapter in his life. His father; however, sits slumped with his and his son’s hats in his hand as if he didn’t want the son to leave. The father looked at the opposite direction of the rail; as if he didn’t want to see the train come and take his son away. Although the father and son are looking in opposite direction, the sense of family bond is still strong.

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The father, probably in his late fifty, has been through the Great Depression and World War II; values his family more. The generation coming out of the Depression and World War II has been through some of the greatest challenges this country had ever faced. They worked hard their whole life, and now all they want is for their children to have a better life than they. Norman Rockwell perfectly describe the generation shift in “Breaking Family Ties” as the father, old beyond his years, sacrificed everything so that his son can go to college.

He does not want to see his son leave, because he is everything to him. Still, he knows that his son must leave to grow up and be independent. The son, treated like royalty by the father, is ready to move on to the next chapter in his life and be away from the protection of his father. The painting gives mix emotion because of the two different emotions of the main characters. Norman Rockwell shows the differences between the two-generation through the father and son. The experience of leaving you’re parents and being on your own is universal to everyone.

The universal message in “Breaking Family Ties” is being independent for the first time. I was seventeen when I left home by myself to go to college. Preparing to leave home, I was like the boy in “Breaking Family Ties” eager to move on to the next chapter in my life and to be independent. I was only thinking of myself, and not how leaving would affect my parents. My parents were sad to see me leave, but they knew that I was making a better life for myself by going to college. Just like the Father in “Breaking Family Ties”. Leaving home for me was the beginning of a new chapter in my life.

While for my parents, it was seeing me grow up too fast. Norman Rockwell’s perfectly showed the heartbreaking moment and a son leaving to be on his own for the first time. He also reminded America of how much our country had changed with the two generations. Like all of Norman Rockwell’s works, everything in “Breaking Family Ties” has a meaning behind it. Which is I can relate to it even if it was painted years before I was born. Norman Rockwell is one of America greatest artist because of the universal meanings behind his works.

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