Cerise Inganji Composition 1 April 18, 2013 Is marriage being seen as double-faced? Most people marry.

They also stay married till death does them apart, as redacted in the vows (Stein 243). There is a multitude of perspectives that look over why people who marry do so and the diverse advantages or consequences of marriage for the spouses, their offspring and the society as a whole. Even though marriage has been broadly criticized and people wonder why getting married, it is still the supplier of the only framework in which people can experience full intimacy and reliance on one another (ONeill 26). In this paper, I will gather evidences supporting that marriage is a better option for humans than not being married. My claims are that marriage is a great environment for children in a household. Secondly, the ability of staying married for many years teaches the partners to deal with one anothers personality. Also, married people are paid more tribute in society and single persons tend to count themselves as outsiders. A number of evidences will be provided to sustain these claims and additional facts are looked into in this paper. Of the benefits of marriage, the well-being and a good educational environment for children in the family are a key. Children raised in a complete household receive more attention and care from parents than single parents. This is mainly because the way parents handle divorce could put the children at risk for significant long-term effects (Jolivet). In the past years, marriage and childbearing are not as linked as it was before. It is clear that marriage no longer has a monopoly over bearing of children but it doesnt imply that marriage is irrelevant to

contemporary childbearing (Peters 27). Therefore, the parents stability is still a key factor in the healthy growth of children. It is true that single parents devote their efforts to meet all of their kids needs, which can probably be accomplished financially but there is that need of commonly given affection by both parents that the kid will never know and this might affect the formation of his/her personality and entire career (Jolivet). Marriage is therefore a major contribution in the guarantee of a well-educated and blossoming generation to come. In addition, marriage teaches the two partners the spirit of endurance and selflessness. The commitment to spend the rest ones life or at least a long time of it together requires the willingness to adjust to one anothers flaws and downsides so as to prosper and build a life in common. Sometimes its very challenging to stick with someone whose personality do not match ours, hence a growing number of divorces, but most of the times it is worth the try. The doubt about the necessity to get married is based on the fact that nearly one in three marriages ends in divorce and that the already divorced often swear not to marry again (ONeill 16). Researchers suggest that divorce varies by socioeconomic status such that the rate of divorce decreased between 1980 and 1994 among college-educated individuals but increased among individuals with less than high-school degrees (Peters 85). Moreover, married people report higher levels of physical health and social stability and both partners ring to the marriage the physical companionship that changes a house into a home (Stein 246). Formerly married women reported the worst health while never married women fell between these two groups. Compared with unmarried women, married women had less job stress, environment stress, child stress, financial stress, and relationship stress (249).

Concerning its social impact, marriage is important not only to the couple involved, but to their parents and the larger community (Peters 8). Even though parents partly influence their childrens decision on who to marry, young people are persistent about the freedom to choose their spouse. The expectation that children would ask their parents for permission to marry is linked to the fact that marriage is an intergenerational process and that parents look far beyond the brides and grooms criteria. Parents majorly focus on geographical and social economic location, religious affiliation, and other attributes (10). In contrast to the positive side of marriage on a social basis, even though married couples have a certain respect from the society due to their marital status, the Council of Contemporary Families reported that a lower percentage of married couples offer regular help to their parents than that of never-married (Parker-Rope). This sustains the fact that being married subtracts individuals to their usual tasks, not necessarily because they care less but just because they have a lot to take care of in their households. In a married world which we live in, people who decide to stay single encounter many struggles (Parker-Rope). The defenders of the right to stay single as long as you want to claim that Its the unmarried, with or without kids, who are more likely to take care of other people, its not having children that isolates people. Its marriage.(Parker-Rope). Based on the constantly changing demographics of the unmarried people, a 2009 study shows that about onesixth of the unmarried adults are 65 and older and that one-eighth of those are parents. Several observations suggest that under almost all circumstances, married persons have lower death rates than comparable unmarried persons (Carter 339). The same proportion is true when it comes to being institutionalized for medical care or in homes for the aged. This last

evidence claims that couples who keep the promise of staying with each other till death does them apart tend to provide mutual care and to reduce physical and mental anguish (336). It is not surprising that sexually transmissible diseases such as Syphilis or HIV/AIDS are a cause of death for unmarried people than to married. Though, an additional factor is involved in the death rate from Syphilis: the race and the sex (347). But overall, the causes of death are listed as having large excesses among the rates for unmarried men as compared with those for married men. One of the things that leads humans to evade marriage is the monogamy that comes along with it. Sex is the key concept in marriage and others basically build on it, but some couples think that the legality of the relationship may rob the sexual climax of some of its power (Stein 279). The moral issues of the illegal relationship are the reason why so many people continue to seek new thrills for old values in temporary fulfillment of a lifelong need for acceptance. On top of all that, the philanderers stayed unsatisfied and realized that sex varies with the state of mind and emotional composure together with the circumstances and not always with the change of partners (Stein 279). In conclusion, marriage might be a tough task to fulfill excellently but this doesnt mean it is a negative concept. The instinct of married people to share responsibilities and duties and to protect each other is so universal that its even applicable to animals such as birds (Stein 243). Therefore, it might as well be respected. Since marriage is obviously with us for some time to come, rather than being merely a necessity (ONeill 27), it should be a positive affirmation of our desire to grow and expand our love and identity through, with, and to others like it has always been, since the dawn of the time.

Works Cited Carter, Hugh, and Paul C. Glick. Marriage and Divorce: A social and Economic Study. Cambridge: Harvard University press, 1970. Print. Jolivet, Kendra Randall. "The Psychological Impact of Divorce on Children: What Is A Family Lawyer to Do?" American Journal of Family Law 25.4.2011: 175-83. Web. ONeill, Nella, and George ONeill. Open Marriage: A New Life Style for Couples. New York: M. Evans, 1972. Print. Parker-Pope, Tara. The Plight of American Singles. The New York Times, 19 Sept. 2011. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. Peters, H. Elizabeth, and Claire M. Kamp Dush. Marriage and Family: Perspectives and Complexities. New York: Columbia University press, 2009. Print. Stein, Calvert. Practical Family and Marriage Counseling. Springfield: Thomas, 1969. Print.