Family Rituals and Stories Project

Family Relations

Objective: Learn more about the meaning and functions of your family rituals and stories. This
assignment will help you become more aware of your attitudes and values (course objective #4)
and to use critical thinking skills to evaluate the functions of rituals and stories in family life
(course objective #5).

Every family has some rituals and traditions. These practices often have symbolic meaning that
isn’t always obvious. This project will give you an opportunity to explore rituals and traditions in
your own family heritage. Similarly, family members often tell and retell stories about past
family members and/or experiences. You will construct a short paper and share what you have
learned with other students. To complete this project, do the following:

Download the article from Canvas about rituals (“Examining Family Rituals” by Grace M.
Viere). Read the article.

1. Answer the following questions:

a. Wolin and Bennett identify 6 typologies of ritual use in families. Which typology (or
category) is most closely characteristic of your family? What are the consequences for
individuals and family relationships because of this typology?
b. Wolin and Bennett identify 4 types of family rituals. Which type(s) of rituals were most
common in your home (can include more than one)? Explain briefly why you think this
was the case for your family.
c. Identify at least one example of a significant ritual in your home. Describe this ritual (what
it was, when it occurred, how often, who was involved, any other important contextual
information). Explain how this ritual is different from a “routine” (see article).
d. What functions do you think this ritual played in your family? How do you think it
influenced you and your family? What benefits and challenges came because of it (reading
about the empirical studies in the article may give you some ideas here)? How likely is it
that this ritual will continue in your future, and what do you think about that? What will be
your role in continuing/discontinuing it?

The telling of family stories is also a kind of ritual. The story itself often relates important
messages and values that earlier generations desire to pass along to rising generations (even if
they don’t necessarily think that that is what they are doing). Stories are often repeated in
families, which signifies their importance to someone in that family. Think about stories you
have heard other family members relate to you or others. The story may be about another family
member, something that happened to multiple family members, or even about non-family
members who are in some way important to your family. Some stories are long and complex,
while others are short and straightforward. If you can’t think of any that you have heard, ask
parents or grandparents if they were told repeated stories when they were younger.

Download the reading from Canvas about family stories (“Primary Functions of Family Stories”
by Turner and West). Read it.

1
2. Answer the following questions:
a. Summarize your family story in your own words (you don’t have to include every detail if
it is long or too personal).
b. To the best of your ability, describe the history of this story (who has told it, when it began
to be told in your family, etc.).
c. In which of the Primacy Functions does your story fit? In which of the Secondary
Functions does your story fit? In which story Type does your story fit? Briefly explain
your answers.
d. Analyze the story for messages, values, and/or ideals. What do you think this story
expresses and promote (intentionally and/or unintentionally)? Why do you think it is/was a
significant story in your family?
e. What impact do you think it has had on you/your family? Do you think you will keep the
story alive by telling it to other family members in the future? Why or why not?

Type and turn in a double-spaced, clearly written and organized paper with your responses to the
questions above. Be sure to identify with headings each section of your paper (corresponding
to each letter above; 1a-1d and 2a-2e). Your paper should be about 2-3 pages long (it may be
longer if you have a long story to include).

Grading Rubric (30 points)

Ritual

Completeness (all sections included, answers complete) (10 pt)

Clarity of writing (4 pts)

Proper use of format/headings (1 pt)

Story

Completeness (all sections included, answers complete) (10 pts)

Clarity of writing (4 pts)

Proper use of format/headings (1 pt)

TOTAL GRADE