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Empty Nest

In the article, The Empty Nest by Lillian Rubin discusses how middle aged women look at the idea and notion of their children leaving the home. The Empty Nest syndrome occurs during a transition phrase when a mother's child is coming of age and about to leave the dwelling. Studies now show that this "depression" was once thought to have the same wide spread negative effect, but recently has been viewed as the direct opposite. This article depicts how women of different social classes and marriage arrangements feel about the idea of their children leaving the home.
It was thought that depression occurs in mid life women were due to what is now known as Empty Nest Syndrome. This theory has been analyzed and proven wrong. A sense of freedom or relief is felt by most women, when their children leave their households. A heavy burden of responsibility is lifted off the shoulders of many middle aged mothers when this transition occurs. The feeling of having freedom gives them the opportunity to look more at their own needs then the needs of their children. The interactionist perspective is clearly shown in Lillian Rubin's article, The Empty Nest. The interactionist perspective views society as the product of countless encounters between human beings and ever day social activity. The three questions this author focuses on are: Why do individuals do the things they do? Do people always mean what they say? How important are the daily routine of unwritten rules, courtesies, and manners we take for granted? Throughout Lillian Rubin's article, these three questions are answered by the views expressed by various opinions of women on the departure of their children.
Society has always been guided by underlying social rules and obligations. Since the early days of human beings it was the male figure whose role was to hunt and bring home food for his partner and child. In the same essence it was the female figure that would provide nurture to the offspring and...

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