IDIOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS ‘‘After how hard I worked for that house, I can’t let him
lose it now.’’
Informant interviews are interpreted below, first in Jean lived with her mother, stepfather, and three half
terms of the personal and sociocultural contexts defining brothers until the age of 19 when she married her high
each informant’s life world, then in terms of the brand school sweetheart in the Catholic church across the street.
relationships collectively occupying that world. Espe- A strong believer in God ( ‘‘I pray everyday’’) and his
cially meaningful brand relationships are highlighted, and protection of those who ‘‘sacrifice and work hard,’’ Jean
threads tying those relations together are identified. An is no longer a practicing Catholic. Barred over 30 years
attempt to link the person’s overall brand relationship ago for confessing the use of birth control to her priest
portfolio to identity issues salient at the time of inter- (‘‘We could not afford another baby. . . .We had nothviewing
is made such that a coherent picture of the role of ing . . . Henry was only making $40 a week’’) , Jean
brand relationships in the consumer’s life world emerges. never approached the church for reconsideration. Honesty
Descriptive analyses of relational phenomena are seeded and integrity are very important to her: ‘‘They wouldn’t
throughout these stories for development in the later sec- let me stay, but they forgive people for adultery? I can’t
tion on cross-case findings. have communion but they can? That’s not right. I could
go back now, I guess, but I don’t. I believe in God my
Case I: Jean way.’’
Jean ‘‘didn’t grow up with very much,’’ both in the
Jean’s Life Story. Jean is 59 years old. She lives with way of money or family support. The illegitimate child
her husband of 40 years in a middle-class suburb of a of a father she would never know, Jean was somewhat
northeastern city not 10 miles from the town in which an outsider in her own home. Many aunts and uncles
both she and he (and their mothers and fathers before were against her remaining in the family at all, pleading
them) were born. Jean and Henry reluctantly moved ‘‘way unsuccessfully with Jean’s mom and grandmother to put
out in the country’’ back in 1963 so that Henry would her up for adoption. This battle for acceptance got tougher
have a shorter commute to his manufacturing job. While with the sudden death of her grandmother at age 50. But
Henry will soon retire from this job after 40 years, Jean Jean soon discovered that superior performance of housestill
works—60 hours and six days a week—tending a hold tasks offered a surefire mechanism through which
small neighborhood bar in her blue-collar hometown. Jean she could fit in with her family and garner their support.
has had this job for 13 years. She likes keeping a ‘‘base’’ I think my mom treated me that way because I stood for
in the town where all of her brothers and most of her what she would never have. She was so beautiful. The
nieces and nephews still live. Before the present job, Jean party girl. Look at this picture: the Gibson girl. When she
worked as a waitress at an ethnic social club down the got pregnant she was sent away for awhile and everythingchanged. She married Frankie; I don’t know if anyone else have nothing to show for it. Well, I do. I have all these
would have her. She never loved him. And, he never really nice things.
cared for me because I was not his. So, I spent most of
my time doing things for him and her, cleaning the house, Jean is a second-generation Italian from a town where
taking care of them, my brothers, because at least that was over half the people are Italian. For years, Jean limited the
something that I really knew how to do right. expression of her ethnic identity to negotiate her marriage
‘‘across the tracks’’ to a boy whose mother not only
Such was born the purpose that would organize the hated ‘‘Guineas,’’ but warned that if he married one, ‘‘his
rest of Jean’s life: resolution of a central life theme kitchen would smell like garlic all the time.’’ Although
of marginality versus significance through successful Jean still ‘‘doesn’t allow garlic in her house’’ ( ‘‘It makes
performance of the traditional gendered tasks of mother me sick . . . just the smell of it’’ ) , she has recently
and wife. To this day, Jean wants desperately to be taken to speaking Italian with the old men in the bar. She
affirmed by society in these, the roles she values most. even talks of visiting Italy someday, a big step for some-
Accomplishment as a cook and housekeeper remain a one who has only twice been on a plane. It is with Italians
major source of happiness, pride, and satisfaction in that Jean finds much-needed comfort and acceptance.
Jean’s life.
I like to be Italian. Italians are nice, friendly people. If I
What do I do everyday? I cook. I clean. My white clothes ever get the chance to travel—and I hate to go anywhere—
are white. You can pick up a sheet of mine that is 10 years I’d like to go to Italy. I think I would feel really comfortold
and people think they are brand new. I iron them. I don’t able there. Italians care about people. About family. . . .
dry them. I never dry my sheets. Never. To me, they are Not that I am just for Italian people, but. . . . Take Henrags
when you do that. ‘‘Why do you do that,’’ people say, ry’s family. They don’t give a shit about anybody. Some-
‘‘You’re weird.’’ Because I like to sleep on a sheet that is body dies there and they are gone. He used to say, ‘‘Well,
ironed. That’s my preference. I’ve always done it. Like Liz- somebody dies in your family and they get professional
zie will say, ‘‘Mom, you don’t have to iron my sheets when mourners!’’ In his family, someone dies and they have a
I bring them over to do the laundry.’’ But Allan (her hus- party! I’ll never forget the first time I went to a wake in
band) goes, ‘‘Oh, your mother did the sheets, huh?’’ So, it his family. Nobody even cared. It was . . . a different
must make a difference. Everybody always says what a feeling. . . . Italian people miss you when you are gone.
beautiful house I have. That makes me feel good. They are closer, I think.
Jean’s tough childhood taught her a lot of lessons. She Jean’s love of Italians also stems from their mutual
learned that if you want something, you do it yourself love of the concept of family, broadly construed. The
‘‘’cause nobody is gonna do it for you.’’ With no more celebration of personal relationships organizes much of
than a high school education, Jean discovered the value of Jean’s life. Sundays are reserved for informal dinners
diligence and hard work. She lives by one of her mother’s among extended family members. Saturdays are spent
credos: ‘‘You want, you work, you get.’’ These beliefs caring for her nephew’s three-year-old ( ‘‘the family’s
keep Jean from retiring despite her husband’s urgings: only baby’’) . Weeknights after work often include ‘‘a
‘‘If I retire, he’ll give me five bucks a week. Forget that! quick trip to her brother’s on the way home.’’ But every
I want my own money so I can do. Do what I want to day in the bar, Jean is part of a ‘‘family’’ as well. Jean
do.’’ Jean’s self-appointed ‘‘theme song,’’ ‘‘She Works is a member of a closely knit community where everyone
Hard for the Money’’ by Donna Summer, captures her has intimate knowledge of the other. All members of the
feelings: ‘‘She works hard for the money; So hard for the community are observers and participants in a vibrant
money. She works hard for the money but they never network that ties them to a common heritage and binds
treat her right.’’ them to a future that will be shared by all. Through her
Jean’s attitudes toward work are deeply utilitarian. She work as barmaid, Jean has found not only legitimacy
learned the powerful enabling capabilities of money and through financial security, but also the affiliative meanthe
way it helps remove vulnerabilities. Jean reflects upon ings her life lacked as a youth.
the possessions she has acquired as tangible evidence of
her sacrifices and hard work. These possessions demon- I like this town. I know everybody; the cops, the firemen,
strate that one can indeed rise above circumstances and their kids. I know what is going on, who lives in whose
‘‘be somebody.’’ house, who is having a baby, who is screwing who. I know
everybody that comes into the bar. Their parents. Their
Why do I like this house so much? I like to see my things kids. I like that. And the customers like that too. I always
that I like, that I worked so hard for. Makes me feel good. ask them, ‘‘How is your mother doing? How is your job?
Look at Henry’s brother David. He never did anything with Did you make out all right at the doctors?’’ I treat the
his life. Nothing! Fifty years old and he doesn’t even own customers like people and they know I am interested in
a house. The only thing he’s got is an apartment because them and their problems. The other bartender just gives
his brother lets him live there, a car because his mother them a drink and never says anything to them. They don’t
gave it to him, and a job because his brother owns the place. like that.
Everybody always says, ‘‘Oh, poor David.’’ Bullshit. He
has nothing because he does nothing. Period. These people Within this social structure, Jean is expected to be loyal
spend their money on drinking and scratch cards and they and to share resources that become available. These are
/ 9h0d$$mr01 02-06-98 19:10:04 cresa UC: Con Res