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Medina 1
Rachel Medina
Professor Williams
ENG 111
14 October 2018
Cutting Ties
When comparing Barbara Kinglslover’s “Stone Soup” to Scott Russel Sanders’ “Under
the Influence,” one can learn of the tragic difficulties an abusive family may go through, and the
troublesome effects the victims may experience in the long-run. During Barbara’s tale, she
actively encourages those in abusive or unkept marriages to “cut ties.” As great of an idea as this
may sound, Scott was never able to escape this very situation. Instead, Sanders was forced to
watch his father destroy himself “time and time again,” through his struggles with alcoholism,
and the abuse that came along with it. While the two authors advocate similar ideas, the
portrayal of both essays communicates extremely different emotions towards the main goal. The
content, style, and purpose of these essays interpret such ideas.
In the persuasive story “Stone Soup,” written by Barbara Kingsolver, she discusses the
toxicity of an abusive or explosive marriage, and how it is inevitably bound to end in order to
ensure the safety and sanity of others, and not because the individuals involved are happy with
their “failed” marriage. “It’s awfully easy to hold in contempt the straw broken home and that
mythical category of persons who toss away a nuclear family for the sheer fun of it” (Kingslover
127). This sentence from the essay establishes the idea of a “nuclear”, or, in a greatly simplified
term, an unhappy marriage, and how those involved wouldn’t choose to split based upon happy
Medina 2
emotions towards the relationship. There will always be an element of dissatisfaction, resulting
in reasoning for a split or divorce.
Figurative imagery is an element of style Kingslover uses in “Stone Soup.” This element
is used frequently throughout this essay, engaging the reader into an understanding that concrete
description simply doesn’t have the capability of achieving. “The Family of Dolls came along
midcentury as a great American experiment. A booming economy required a mobile labor force
that demanded that women surrender jobs to returning soldiers”(130). This statement refers to a
family of paper dolls discussed throughout the entirety of Kingslover’s essay. These dolls are
described to be the perfect knit example of an American family, with factory assigned names and
generalized appearances, and how so many families are desperately reaching to achieve such a
