This definition essay is written by one of my grade 9 ESL E students. Such essays help students realize that they should never take definitions for granted. Nor should they blindly follow other people’s definitions of various abstract and concrete terms. By doing this assignment, they realize defining a term is not as easy as it may seem at first glance. In this essay, the writer has tried to challenge the literal definition of home by viewing it from the perspective of people of various ages. This essay opens up a whole new world of meanings for the readers.
What is Home?
Home is a simple and familiar word to everyone. In dictionaries, home is defined as “the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household.” However, for people who have had an actual home, they would know that such a term goes much beyond its concrete description.
Home for babies can be defined as a kingdom. The parents are the king and the queen of this lovely kingdom, which is full of toys, candies, and happiness. There are no worries and no one can harm them in this safe kingdom.
Home can be described as a harbor for teenagers. Every day after school, parents will wait for them with a delicious meal and a warm greeting to refuel their power and let them get ready to face different problems the next day.
For couples, home is a new world they want to create in the future. In this new world, life will be what they have yearned for, and they will have their baby, a gift only for them from God, to bring them good wishes.
For an adult, home is more like a responsibility. They take care of the children and do their best to give them a better life. Home is a place where one not only feels comfortable but looks forward to an opportune life. A home is built not by bricks or wood, but with the bond of family.
For grandparents, home is a place that reminds them of countless memories and values. “Firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy, vinegar, and tea begin a day.” That is what home means to the elderly in the family.
Home is a word that is engraved deeply in everyone’s life. Home is a place for kids to play and make tons of noise and a large room to put a big table in so that everyone can come over and eat and tell stories.
I think all people deserve a home because a home is a place where you are sheltered from bad weather like cold days and rain that never ends, keeping the sun hidden. Even if I am sick and really unhappy, home is the only place I want to be.