African-American families are close through many generations and branches of the family tree, often more so than other ethnic and social groups and the proverbs these families share seems to be the twine that binds them together and makes them strong.
In an American society that tends to ignore the influence of elders as they age, it is refreshing to see the important role African-American grandparents play in their family and the transmission of culture, history, and socialization skills. The text notes that grandparents are "the essence of family bonds," and in our country, for a majority of society, that is not always the case. In our mobile society, families draw farther and farther apart, and often, these rich relationships between grandparents and their grandchildren do not take shape. Many ethnic cultures maintain these bonds, creating a tight-knit fabric of family that is much more prone to passing on information, culture, and socializing their children. It seems that the groups in society who neglect these family ties are missing something essential for their continued culture and heritage, and these elements of life will continue to degenerate for generations to come. It seems too many children are missing out on the "wizard," "mentor," and "role model" groups of grandparents and one must wonder what this says about the future of American culture and heritage. Perhaps society needs to become more in touch with the past, in order to plan more wisely and appreciate the future.
It is quite clear this study included logical and well thought out elements of study and research. Tables indicate the depth of research, down to specific motivational proverbs, their use, and who utilized them (grandfather, grandmother, parents), and their overall effect on the generations. Many of these proverbs are age-old pearls of wisdom, culled from sources such as the Bible and even the American...
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