British Culture: Week 6

Family & Personal Relationships

Family

Many different family patterns (p.33) “Typical” family at the end of the 20th century

Married couple Neither had been married before They had 2 or 3 children Husband worked full-time and wife's career was

interrupted by children Wife did most of the housework, but

occasionally the husband helped Members were expected to be happy

How has this changed in recent times?

Family What is the traditional Chinese family like? What about the modern Chinese family? What

changes have occurred?

Youth

Youth Since the 1950s → teenagers have emerged as a

special age group What are some special characteristics of

teenagers? Page 34 and 48 give us some examples of different

groups What did you think of the letters on page 49

written to the magazine? Do Chinese teenagers share any of these

problems with the British youth? In pairs talk about a response that you would write

to one of these 3 writers.

Marriage “Marriage is the highest form of fellowship,

affording a rocklike foundation on which all that is best in the life of the nation is built.” – Elizabeth (mother of Queen Elizabeth II)

Do you agree with the statement? Write down your opinion and be ready to answer.

Engagement – Usually leads to marriage In the UK (and the US) its normal for the guy to

give an engagement ring to his fiance) “A girl wears an engagement ring because a guy

would be more likely to chat up a girl than vice versa. So a girl wearing an engagement ring would be a sign, a social sign, that she was already engaged.” (p. 36)

Marriage Ceremony

3 out of 5 marriages involve only a civil wedding Over half of 1st time marriages get married

in the church → some because of the Christian commitment, others because its a cultural thing to do

Cohabitation & Divorce

Complete Section B on page 42 – 45

We will discuss your answers when you finish

Homework

– Do Section B #2 starting on the bottom p. 42 to 44.

– Make notes about what you notice about the family in the short story “To Room Nineteen” on p. 50-52

– Read chapter 3 p. 58-70