Family Relations
Families of the 21st century were marked by tensions, heavy expectations, and endless silences. Seen from the future, these blood-based relationships seem archaic and often sources of conflict rather than harmony.
By Victor Landwerlin
Families of the 21st century were very different from ours. They were based on blood ties, which seems strange today. Love was present, but often poorly expressed. Conflicts and silences dominated relationships.
At that time, the family was supposed to be a refuge. Yet, it was often a source of tension. Parents imposed heavy expectations on their children. Succeed, be perfect, follow unspoken rules. This created great pressure. Misunderstandings were frequent. Many works testify to this.
Book
Only the End of the World tells the story of Louis, who returns to see his family after many years to tell them of his death, but no one really understands him.
Learn moreMovie
The film Only the End of the World, adapted from the book by Jean-Luc Lagarce, explores the theme of incommunicability within the family.
Learn moreFilm Director
Quebec director Xavier Dolan is known for his intense films about family relationships, in which raw emotions and the unspoken dominate.
Learn moreSong
Mother by John Lennon is a moving song in which he expresses the pain of parental abandonment, crying out for his unfulfilled need for love.
Learn moreCommunicating was a real problem. Families spoke little. Many things remained unsaid. These silences made family moments tense. Even love was difficult to share. The unspoken weighed on every relationship.
Parental authority was central. Children had to obey without question. This created a gap between generations. Young people sought to assert themselves. But parental authority often blocked their impulses. This made the family atmosphere very tense, even stifling.
Families evolved towards individualism. Everyone lived under the same roof, but in their own world. Screens and social networks accentuated this distance. Members coexisted without really understanding each other. Family ties gradually weakened.
Connected Family, Freepik
Today, these lifestyles seem archaic. Our relationships are based on chosen affinities, not on family obligations. Families back then were more a place of tension than a place of understanding. It is hard to imagine how people endured this.
One can wonder at the persistence of these family models. Technologies were already advanced, but families remained stuck in old traditions. People lived together out of habit, not by choice. They were bound by blood, but rarely by true feelings.
These families reflected a world of social constraints. Appearance mattered more than well-being. This explains why so many works of that time talk about family conflicts. The need to break free from imposed models was constant, but few dared to do so.