The big house : A case study of a Muslim family

The objective of this thesis was to gain an understanding of the structure of the relationships between the members of a family as occupiers of roles and as individuals. For this, actual patterns of behavior were studied by the use of the participant-observation method and by living with the family. As John P. Dean states (in his unpublished paper, 'Some Notes on Field Interviewing and Participation,' p. 1), it is by observation of overt behavior that roles and status interactions emerge; and it was on this premise that the present study was based and conducted through an observation of relationships. Observation of overt behavior also reveals the sentiments of a person towards another. As. R. D. Singh states (in Family Organization in a North Indian Village, 1969) : A person is assumed to have or not to have, a particular feeling toward another person by his behavior in relevant situations. Verbalization of his own views may give some clue, but a reliable knowledge of his sentiments for another person can be obtained only through the observation of his actions (p. 105). The definitions of sentiments operating in role relationships used in this paper are the same as those used by R. D. Singh (1969:106-109). Affection is the feeling between members who spend leisure or work time together; obedience is defined as carrying out orders without questioning; respect, as manifested in avoidance; regard, as a form of respect shown to subordinates and which does not carry the element of admiration; and finally, loyalty, as strong feelings of attachment in the face of a strong challenge to that attachment. Love is not mentioned in his study. I have logically assumed that the members of the family studied behaved in their interactions within the household according to their individual role and status. A review of literature dealing with role relationships in the Indian family has given the basis for analysing my data in terms of role relationships and statuses within the household, and it is presented in the summary. However, the bulk of the data was not directed at looking at the relationships within the household solely in terms of roles, but also as revealed through individuals' personalities, temperaments and sentiments towards another person. In short, the interactions within the household are seen as depending upon role and status but as tied up in the moods, desires and idiosyncracies of the individuals; and as taking place in a social context. Emotional and economic forces enter into play in the development of family life and may cause change in the interactions. In this paper I have presented the roles and statuses of the individuals, their temperaments, personalities and sentiments and hava tried to keep the feel of the flow of the daily routine and the style of this family's life.