Divorce, the Epidemic of America

Essay by platinum182University, Bachelor'sA+, April 2006

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In 1999, John and Libby Curry were a poor couple from rural West Lafayette, Indiana who had three children, Dave, Elizabeth, and Mary. The family was completely dependent on John's salary from the local hardware shop, however work was slowing down and things at home were not going so well. As the months passed on, John was getting fed up of working hard for his mediocre paycheck, his social life was suffering and coming home after a long day's work was simply aggravating. On January 31st, 2001, he ended his troubles by divorcing Libby and packing up and moving to Harwich, Massachusetts. John once again became a single man, regained his individuality, and did not have to cope with the problems of being in a marriage or family. His relationship with his family now consists of child support payments and the occasional phone call. However, Libby did not have the option to walk away.

She and the children had to bear the outcome of John's irresponsibility. Following the divorce, Libby sold the home and moved the children back to Cleveland, Ohio to live with their grandmother. David went to the local high school, but did not fit in and was kicked out after three months for constant fighting. Elizabeth was transformed from a jovial third-grader to being withdrawn at school and coming home saddened over the fact that her dad wasn't coming home ever again. Mary is only seven months old and is still too young to realize the situation but is now growing up without the benefit of having both parents by her side.

This story puts a spin on Dr. Peter Kramer's opinion on the effects of divorce in his essay, "Divorce and Our National Values." Although Kramer acknowledges that divorce is "destructive," he also justifies divorce by...