This quote suggests that some children view their parents' primary role as supporting them until they are self-sufficient, after which the parents might be seen as having no further purpose or responsibilities. Essentially, it highlights a perspective where young people may believe their parents exist solely to help them navigate through life's challenges and then step aside once those goals are achieved.
Delving deeper into the quote, Samuel Richardson is pointing out a subtle yet significant issue in familial relationships. It reflects on the often unspoken assumption that once children achieve independence or success, they might regard their parents as having completed their mission, diminishing the ongoing value of the parent-child bond beyond financial and practical support. This can lead to a lack of appreciation for the emotional and psychological support that parents continue to offer throughout life, even after children have grown up and are financially independent.
Samuel Richardson was an 18th-century English writer known primarily as a novelist and letter-writer. He is often credited with pioneering the epistolary novel—a form in which the story is told through letters—most famously exemplified by his work "Pamela: Or, Virtue Rewarded." His writings frequently explored themes of morality, social norms, and human relationships, reflecting his keen understanding of societal dynamics and personal psychology.
