A few years ago I stumbled upon an article about an Indian man who boasted the largest family in the world. According to the article, Ziona in 2011 had 39 wives, 86 children, and 35 grandchildren, a grand total of 160. I found it fascinating that in a poor village in India, a man would willingly provide for so many people. The article does not use a distinct voice to convey a message but rather relies on facts and quotations to communicate the point that this family is unique. Ziona founded a Christian sect that promotes polygamy, a practice shunned in most western countries. However, according to some articles Ziona is actually showing compassion to these women by taking them in, because without his support many of them would have no means of support. Ziona is portrayed as a benefactor rather than a man obsessed with women. Although polygamy often apparently involves problems with favoritism shown to particular wives and children, all 39 of Ziona’s wives get along perfectly well. The article uses quotes from various wives to establish this point. The wives also manage a large household efficiently. In many photographs, Ziona looks proud surrounded by his large family. In other photos his wives smile before the camera while holding chickens they are going to cook for dinner. According to the pictures, the entire family seems happy and gets along well. Are the photos authors romanticizing the situation? Could 39 wives really all live together in harmony?
http://articles.cnn.com/2011-10-31/asia/world_asia_india-record-family_1_ziona-cook-bedrooms?_s=PM:ASIA
No comments:
Post a Comment