Week 1 - Where thou art - that - is home...

Look around the everyday objects of your house. How do they explain and contribute to the concept of home and family?

When I am trying to find the answer to this question, the first thing that pops in my head is the hit American TV series; 'The Simpsons'. Although the dysfunctional Simpsons family bears absolutely no similarity to that of my family (at least not Homer Simpson), but  our house share common settings which contribute to the concept of home and family. After all, filmmakers need to create a setting to convince their target audience that the characters in the film are family members.

My Home Sweet Home.

Now if you have been watching the Simpsons Family or at least watched the opening sequence, you will notice the infamous Homer Simpson couch in the centre of the living room. In my home, the white fabric upholstered sofa is the centerpiece in the living room. Apart from sitting or lying on the couch to relax and unwind, sofa is a point where members of a household would go to watch television thus promoting family connections. The living room sofa area is also a place where we congregate for family discussions, family meetings or simply to have a great cup of coffee with family and friends. I consider the white couch in the living room as my little retreat after a hectic day, advocating psychologist Sigmund Frued's idea of lying down on the couch to liberate our thoughts (BBC, 2011). If you are an avid Simpsons fan like me, you would know that the couch is Homer's favourite spot, earning him the title of a true couch potato. Other than that, the Simpsons brown couch is where Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa or Maggie reconvene for family discussions or family fights.

I am a huge Simpsons fan. Love the witty humor.

The centerpiece in my living room is this insanely comfy sofa.

The next conspicuous object in the Simpsons family home is the television positioned across the couch. Unlike Simpsons antique television with the antennas sticking out, mine is the 40-inch Samsung flat – screen LCD TV, which Mat Groening (creator of the Simpsons) should consider. Although television has its negative influences, but positively it brings together the interactions among family members (Vangelisti, 2008). With our hectic life, gathering with family members to watch the news, sports or any TV programs may only be the opportunity for us to spend some quality time during weekdays.

Simpsons Vintage TV. Seriously Groening, we are living in HIGH DEFINITION!!

HD television is no longer a luxury, its a NECESSITY!! This part of the living room is our favourite spot.

The dining table on the other hand is considered a key element in family because it is a place where parents and children sat down to share a meal and their experiences of the day. It is the epicenter of family life because family bonds are strengthened when we share time to enjoy good food together and rediscover the joy of eating with family (Gibbs, 2006). During the Ramadan month, sitting together with family to break the fast at sunset is a great feeling. I personally enjoy family feasts, dinner parties or pot lucks because it has produced many memorable moments. If you watch most episodes of the Simpsons, you will see that many scenes take place at the dining table, like any other family television shows. Therefore the daily ritual of gathering at the dinner table reinforce the value of family connections and help keep the institution of family strong (Curran, 2001). 

The Simpsons threw many dinner parties and always make room for their frenemies.

I genuinely love family dinners and outings. It is a time for the family to reconnect. The kids having their favourite pepperoni pizza in Fratini's.

Memorable dinner with my mum this year.

Lastly, the most common item found in any household are family photo frames. If you notice inside the Simpsons living room, a large family photo is hung above their fireplace. Apart from decorative purposes, the display of family photos in our house serves to show the immediate members in the family circle. In addition to that, the family snapshots depicts memorable events shared among a family such as a wedding, graduation, vacation or baby pictures. Furthermore, the photographs are selected for presentation and to reflect a close-knit family environment through the family photographs. In essence, family photographs serves as a reminder of the special moments we had with our loved ones and unfortunately, it remind me of those 'bad hair days' too. 

Family portrait displayed proudly in the home

Family pictures are a constant reminder of what is most important in our life.

We might not be aware of the items around our house, but these material possessions significantly contribute to the strengthening and consolidation of the family unit.

"We shape our dwellings, and afterwards our dwellings shape us." - Winston Churchill.





References : 
 

BBC. (2011). Sigmund Freud's Psychoanalytic Couch. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/cC0TV0KISWGsw1N0fERYRg

Curran, D. R. (2001). Traits of a Healthy Family (pp. 31-43). NY: Ballantine Books.

Gibbs, N. (2006, June 4). The magic of the family meal. Time Magazine Health. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine

Vangelisti, A. (2008). Handbook of family communication. New Jersey : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.