The Magic Of A Family Meal Analysis

Alone Together

In the early 1950s the concept of a family meal had assigned tasks to each family member, trained children in proper dining-room etiquette, and established a family hierarchy that has been forgotten in this synonymous computer age. In the article “The Magic of a Family Meal” written by Nancy Gibbs, she discusses and refers to the traditional meal as becoming overrated or a luxury which I agree with. Although my family, like many others have recently has not treated this as a sacred event, or family conference to discuss and understand each other’s problems together privately, I still believe that people should be engaged in these un-interrupted moments. In different cultures, nationalities and religions the family meal in comparison towards my own presently run parallel. In Gibbs’ article, she had wished to promote communication amongst family members by having these conversational feasts and suggested that children will become happier and more understanding by doing so.

The hierarchy of my family’s shared meal conversations had provided my siblings and I with a mutual understanding and respect for our family. My parents would always speak about their past together and share their different experiences with us at the dinner table. For four times a week, the dinner table had provided us with a fun learning experience and environment as a child to grow up in. There were occasions after dinner where the conversations continued afterwards where after cleaning up would engage in various board games and events that my parents planned for us. But as many know, like all things including the traditional family dinner things change over