Back in the early days of the 1950’s and the 1960’s, the divorce in the society occurs in rare circumstances. Though there are several married couples who consider this as an option to end the marriage, it is never regarded as the main answer of solving family problems back in the earlier days. It is not until the modern days when this social point of view against divorce has been altered, which sets a more liberal way of embracing such notion of legal separation. In the society, nowadays, there are more and more married couples who are seriously considering the act of divorce as their best resort to resolve their marital problems and permanently end their difficulties in their married life. In this regard, the book entitled “The Case Against Divorce” serves as a credible reading material for the people, more especially for those married couple who are in the verge of giving up their marriage vows and in the stage of filing a divorce.
It is written by a great American author and a clinical psychologist named Diane Medved. Fundamentally, this book of Diane Medved tells about the reality about divorce and its adverse and long term effect in the lives of people involved in the overall process of such marital separation. Thus, this essay concentrates on studying and analyzing the facts and information presented by the author, Diane Medved, about divorce such as its negative implications and the ways resoling marital problems without filing a divorce.
In a brief summary of the book, Diane Medved’s “The Case Against Divorce” is an informative, comprehensive and credible reading material that is specifically written for the readers who are experiencing marital problems with their partners as this book enlightens the facts against divorce. It also lays out the pros and cons of committing a legal long term marital separation. In the book, the author has provided clear details in highlighting the negative and unlikely impacts of divorce in the lives of the couples, more especially among the children who are absorbing the adversities that is incorporated in the entire process of divorce. The book also highlights the list of major factors and reasons that adds more fuel to the fire which unconsciously encourages divorce and renders misleading notions about the advantages of being single.
Thus, this discusses the detrimental traditions of divorce such as notions like “a new beginning” and “meeting new lovers in an easy way.” Nonetheless, in general, this book of Diane Medved “The Case Against Divorce” is primarily written to discuss definite reasons and credible information for the people who are experiencing marital problems and in the brink of divorce to stay together and save their marriage despite experiencing domestic turmoil and differences as she made a clear standpoint that divorce is not the answer to resolve marital differences. Rather, Diane Medved asserts that the process and aftermath of divorce is all about suffering that it is persistently devastating to the body, mind, and spirit of the entire family.
In a sense, it can be said that most of the information and ideas which Diane Medved has presented in her book about the adversities incorporated to divorce are relatively credible and factual as these are accordingly supported by a thorough research and her personal long term experience as a practicing psychologist. For instance, her standpoint that the process and aftermath of divorce entails negative effects in the physical and mental aspects of the people is no doubt a valuable statement as the effects and occurrence of divorce in the family are not new to her and that she has a reputable record in handling such cases in her career as a psychologist. Hence, the strategy which the author, Diane Medved, has utilized to gather factual and valuable information about the negative effects and difficulties which divorce entails is definitely one of the strengths of this book. With the fact that Diane Medved interviewed 200 people and/or couples who have been through the actual negative experiences of divorce, the author has done a great approach in gathering data and presenting credible ideas as the majority of information that she presented in the book are statements from people who experienced divorce and/or based on through research and valuable experiences she has in the past.
Nonetheless, the author’s notion that it is better to save and stay with the marriage despite of all the turmoil and differences rather than to commit a divorce is a strong statement to support her renewed standpoint that divorce is not the definite and long-term answer to marital problems. According to her, saving the marriage and spending time resolving immense marital problem is more precious and significant to protect the growth of family and care for the physical and emotional feelings of the major stakeholders involve in the entire process divorce and that couples who stays together in facing and solving marital problems are often rewarded with a sense of happiness and peace in their heart and in their family. Nonetheless, the author, Diane Medved, also showcases significance in her observation on the influence of society and people to the growing problem about divorce. Through her words, once that the outside forces enter the marital problems of the couple, the option of divorce is more likely encouraged as this forces are seen to be influential to the decision making of one person. Thus, friends, society and the present liberal standpoint about marriage are of the great factors that could encourage and further aggravate the issue about divorce. However, though there are evident strengths that could be cited for this book, there are weaknesses that could be highlighted in analyzing the overall work of the author. This includes the fact that the author has somewhat employed her own assumptions and personal beliefs in presenting ideas in some of the major information she has presented in the book, more specifically in assuming that all of the people suffering from a marital problems are all determined to get out of such situation. Though, this is a good assumption it is still better and advantageous to present this with evidences and well researched data. Moreover, the author failed to provide a significant number of respondents for it to become general for the population. Likewise, there are cultural considerations that have to be considered when reading the book because of the attachment of marriage to the culture of the person. It affects the separation of the couple because of the important role that culture plays when it comes to the relationship of couples.
In its entirety, the book is considered as a good reading for the couples in order for them to avoid the common pitfalls of marriage. The concepts presented by the author and the different facts said of marriage shows that the book is applicable.
Work Cited
Medved, Diane. The Case Against Divorce. New York: Ballantine Books, 1990.
