《作业要求》十三湘湘

1、“Parent-Child Relationships: Impact on Personal Growth”

　　Parent-child relationship is a very important thing for everyone. Parents significantly impact our personality, thinking, and the way we review the world, and because we can’t choose who can be our parent/child, it must handle well. Literature is a great example.
　　Firstly, using “The Good Girls” by Fran Arrick as an example of how parent-child relationships could affect on a child’s personality and human being. The main characters of this story is Mary Louise and Pattey-Warren; they both have a harmful parent. Mary Louise’s father is a drunk and violent person and it caused Mary Louise to develop a certain personality to protect her own peace. Patty-Warren is much younger than Mary Louise, she learned how to deal with her own emotions when she couldn’t fight back at that time. Which is a status that does not match her age. One reason it is difficult for a child to stand up to their parents is that children cannot afford their own expenses or take care of themselves until they become adults, “The thing of it is, I found out if I fight my daddy, then he hurts me. Hurts my body. And if he does that, Patty-Warren…if he hurts me…then…I can’t dance. Hurts to bend, you know? Hurts to move…” (Arrick, p.11). This quotation illustrates how an unhealthy family can impact a child's personality and mental health because the child has learned that standing up to her father leads to harm. Instead facing the situation, she chose to escape it. It is a type of traumatic response (PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). The fact that being hurt prevents her from dancing shows how family violence restricts not only physical safety but also emotional freedom and personal development.
　　Secondly, an example of absent parental support is in “The Sucker” by Carson McCullers. The sentence, “He always knew without me even telling him that I didn’t want kids that age meddling with my things” (McCullers, p.1) shows how growing up as an orphan can make a child overly sensitive and cautious. Because he lacks parental support and guidance, Sucker learns to constantly read others’ feelings and adjust his behavior to avoid rejection. Instead of expressing his own needs, he prioritizes pleasing others, which reflects low self-esteem caused by parental absence.
　　Lastly, in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch provides a positive example of a healthy parent-child relationship. Parents play an important role in a child’s upbringing by offering guidance beyond basic life skills, including values and advice on how to interact with others, which shapes a child’s personality, worldview, and moral development. Atticus demonstrates this role when he tells Scout, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” (Lee, p.39). This lesson teaches empathy and respect for others, encouraging Scout to think critically rather than judge based on prejudice. A healthy parent-child relationship and proper parental guidance can help an individual develop strong character and good mental health.
　　In conclusion, the parent-child relationship has a significant influence on an individual's development. Parents are the people a child spends the most time with, and during childhood, they have the power to affect a child both psychologically and physically. Unhealthy parent-child relationships can lead to low self-esteem, sensitivity, and difficulties in forming healthy relationships with others. On the other hand, positive and supportive parenting benefits children throughout their lives by teaching them how to value themselves and treat others with respect. Ultimately, family serves as a safe harbour behind an individual, shaping who they become and how they face the world.