Importance of Family History and Interview with a Relative - Essay Example

s Family histories reveal various trends and peculiarities about an individual, which otherwise can`t be explained logically. Though every individual tends to possess a unique personality of his own, a few traits can still be explained via family inclinations. As we socialize in an environment, we tend to pick up habits and traits which make us adaptable to that environment and simultaneously transform us into someone different from our heredity relationships. Yet, not all people exposed to similar environment reveal exactly similar personality traits. Therefore, a few of these traits can still be explains by tracing the family histories. In any case, family history can`t be factored out of an individual`s life, given how profound of an effect the family of an individual leaves on him both biologically and also socially (Hochschild 12). For this reason, family histories are often conducted using various methodologies to get to know the family a little better. Thus, tracing my family history by interviewing my grandmother also revealed certain aspects of my family which have an effect on my personality as well, though I hadn`t realized that until recently. Though I would have preferred to interview my grandfather but since he wasn`t alive, I turned to my grandmother. However, interviewing my grandmother proved to be quite an inspirational experience since the revelations about her hard life and her journey towards success helped me understand how she was the one who had kept the family together and sacrificed a lot for the sake of our happiness. The interview I had designed for my grandmother was an in-depth one which aimed at getting insights on her personal life with context to her family variables. This technique proved to be helpful since I was able to gather details about the most intricate yet complex details on her life, and generally on our family. My grandmother is indeed a strong woman with a generous heart who has always kept her family before her personal will and desires. Though currently she may seem as a typical woman with power and wealth who has had her life easy, but that isn`t really the case. My grandmother initially belonged to a poor background but she was a hardworking person with an inherent drive to succeed from the very beginning. Therefore, she started off with working in a ceramic factory where she made ceramics. However, her life changed as she managed to acquire the position of a manager at a hotel where she got enough experience and exposure to start off her own hotel. However, while doing so, she didn’t neglect her family and proved to be a doting mother, loving wife and even a caring sister. While working hard to earn success and wealth, she kept all her loved one together and ensured that they are being cared for. Though my grandfather was merely a factory worker when she married him, but it was her charisma and persona which even drove my grandfather to reach heights of success. Even today, all her grandchildren take her as an example and aim at turning out to be like her. Therefore, my grandmother is a classic example of someone who is strong, independent, self made and inspirations. However, the interview reveals that she has had her ups and downs in life. That is, though she seems strong and influential on the surface, she is quite shaken emotionally. Since she lost her husband and recently, her sister as well, she has been struggling with her grief. Due to cultural constraints and immense love for her family, she never found another man for herself, and sacrificed all her life for her loved ones. Yet, she managed to keep the entire family together through hard times and gave a good life to her sons and even her grandchildren. Given below is the detail of her interview to reveal a narration of life in her own words to further help understand her story. Interview Details: Person being interviewed: My Grandmother Grandmother`s Name: Guilan Wang Age: 68 years Guilan Wang`s Personal Details: She lives in Heilongijang, Harbin, China. My grandfather passed away when I was three years old. She, however, has four brothers and two sisters. One of her sisters passed away two years ago while my great-grandfather passed away two years ago. Interview: 1. What was your first job and when did you start working? My first ever job was at a ceramic factory and I started working when I was 15 years old. 2. How did you meet my grandfather? Me and your grandfather met at the ceramic factory. I worked on making the ceramics while your grandfather looked after other tasks. Someone at the factory introduced us and we got married when we were 20 years old. 3. Who else do you have in your family? I have a mother and a father. Also four brothers and two sisters. 4. How is your relationship with your family? I`m the oldest sister in the family. I have taken care of my brothers and sister all my life, and we are all very close to each other. 5. What job did your parents do ? My mother was a housewife. My father was a policeman. However, my brothers and sister had small businesses of their own. 6. Where is your family now? Are they all still alive? One of my sisters passed away three years ago, which made me very sad. She was the youngest one and was only 57 years old when she died. I cry everyday for the loss and even look at old pictures to revisit her memories. Therefore, for a few years since her death, I haven`t been too well emotionally. 7. How did you get into the hotel job you`re in currently? I was very hard working and was also smarter than other workers at my factory. Eventually, I ended up getting the title of ‘model worker’ at the ceramic factory. After five years of hard work at the ceramic factory, I got the opportunity of working at the hotel. 8. How did you become a chairman at the hotel? After I got a job at the hotel, I continued working hard. I started off from the bottom and worked as a clerk for the first year of my job. However, my hard work was acknowledged and I managed to get the position of lobby manager at the hotel. A year later, I got pregnant. At this point, I didn`t want to fall behind anyone and so, I continued working hard at the hotel. Since I didn`t want to lose my spot, I continued working at the hotel until five days before I was admitted to the operating room. The senior management was moved to see my motivation level, and thus promoted me to the position of manager. Eventually, I got to the position of vice manager, where I also got the title of ‘model worker’. Later, in 1991, I got an offer from the first ever four-star hotel in my hometown where I worked very hard to import business. From here I started a new life. Now, I own my own hotel. 9. Where are your children now and what are they doing currently? I have two sons, one if your father and the other one is your uncle. Your uncle is four years younger than your father. Your father is a police man just like your grandfather. Your uncle was a soldier when he was 15 years old until he turned 22. Now, both my sons work in the hotel we own. 10. How was your relationship with my grandfather? The relationship was very good in the beginning. However, your grandfather was fond of drinking and smoking, also had many dinners with other people. He had heart disease, and unfortunately, in 1997 when you were three years old, he passed away. 11. Why didn`t you find a new man for yourself? I just don`t want to embarrass you and the rest of our family. Also, I don`t want you all to change your last name. I still miss your grandfather a lot. 12. Why did you work that hard? I have always had the drive to be better than everyone else. I have seen a lot of people being successful and I was poor when I was young. Therefore, I wanted to be successful and most of all, I have always wanted a good life for my sons. I want a life better than mine for my sons, and even better than theirs for my grandchildren. Therefore, the interview reveals an insight on my grandmother`s extraordinary story. Hers is a story of strength and sacrifice, where anyone profoundly close to her would understand how she is an inspiration to everyone around her. However, a closer study of her life reveals that she has been through many hardships in life which had made her the woman she is today. By knowing her better, I have been able to understand myself even better. Therefore, family histories are indeed significant sources for individuals to understand their own life better since they reveal striking facts about the family in general. Works Cited: Hochschild, Arlie R. So Hows the Family?: And Other Essays. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2013. Internet resource. Read More