The Home as a Consumptive Structure

The home is a very important place for families and those who live in them. It houses material objects, provides a safe place to spend time and is a place for people to spend time together. While in the 1890s the home had different uses; for the lower class, homes weren't easy to come by and most stayed with lots of random people. However, the upper class families had homes of their own which housed much of the same sorts of things and same purposes as homes in present day Winter Park.

One aspect of the home for the middle to upper class families in the 1890s was the home as a consumptive structure. This can be mirrored to present day Winter Park homes. Winter Park homes now a days are very consumptive structures because of how grand and high class they are. Taking a drive through the cobblestone streets of Winter Park, one will notice all the houses are different styles, but exceedingly expensive and fancy with giant fences surrounding the perimeter of each gigantic house. The Winter Park homes from the outside present the first view of how they are consumptive structures because the outsides of each house is flourishing with flowers, gardens, well kept up green lawns and lawn furniture. This illustrates that the families and people living in most parts of Winter Park are wealthier people who can afford to have lavish lawns and furniture outside of their homes. Even the multitude of expensive cars in driveways shows consumption. On the inside most Winter Park homes are filled with expensive furniture and material objects from art to clothes to china. This also illustrates the consumptive structure of the home because the people in these homes have more than just the basic needs. They have material wants and decorations that don’t serve much purpose than to be used or shown for fun. For the lower class families in Winter Park, there is a huge difference in the amount of stuff that these houses home. The lawns and cars are much less kept up and expensive and the furniture inside as well as other objects are less expensive and are less in quantity. While these homes are less expensive and house more basic needs than wants, they like the expensive homes of Winter Park exhibit the home as a consumptive structure.