Summary and Reflection

From Elijah’s experience, it seems the adolescent life was challenging in the first half of the 20th century. Elijah says that his “income went direct to the family table to cater to [their] bills.” He barely got a chance to work in the steel mills, and they were discriminated against. Most teens had romantic relationships and married early. Drug abuse and crimes were prevalent, and the communities suffered poverty, despite some getting consolation from religion.

From Emma’s experiences, teens had a better life in the 1980s compared to the 40s. She says they had a family business and that she used her income to “buy books and nice things for herself.” Relationships were in parent’s control as she says her parents did not allow her to date. Overall, in the late same century, teenagers had easy life due to economic growth and civil rights. For instance, Emma says she had “confidence to stand for justice and morality.”

The two interviews reveal social differences. For instance, Elijah did not enjoy civil rights as an adolescent like Emma. Emma did not enjoy romantic relationships like Elijah. Elijah had many friends, unlike Emma. Emma was able to stand for justice, unlike Elijah. However, they are similar in that both were Cristian, upheld family values, had opportunities to work, and they all accessed high school education.

Both experiences are different in that they were able to work during teenage, unlike me. They also could date, and Elijah did not enjoy civil liberties like me. They also had hangout experiences, unlike myself, and their challenges like bullying and discrimination were not popular in my teenage.

The findings from both interviews are very relevant to course work. For instance, in puberty, boys develop physical strength than girls (Belsky, 2019). For instance, Elijah worked in the mills, while Emma worked in advertising. Both experiences confirm Belsky finding that US teens do experience sex (2019). They also related to Lawrence Kohlberg’s findings on the stages of moral development, that people develop moral codes at teenage (Kohlberg & Kohlberg, 1985). For instance, Elijah was cognitive of the need to share his income with the family, and Emma stood for justice. Both Elijah and Emma working in teenage experiences back Belsky in that teens are courageous (2019). For instance, Elijah says teens got into crimes, while Emma says they did hang out in forests.

References

Belsky, J. (2019). Experiencing the Lifespan (5th ed.). New York: Macmillan Learning.

Kohlberg, L., & Kohlberg, L. (1985). Essays on moral development. San Francisco, Calif.: Harper & Row.