The Spare Key Essay Example

There are objects that are so engrained in a family’s history that they become an essential part of this group. These things may represent the family in such a deep way that the association would be unthinkable without it. A spare key that my grandparents found in their house is such an object. It is rather large for a key, and very old-fashioned. It is made of metal, and has two teeth in order to open doors. This object is very similar to the keys that one may find in a horror movie, but it is of reverence in our family. My grandfather even made copies for all of his children when they were of age, and they all have a replica now.
This key is extraordinary because it does not really lead anywhere. The usual function of a key is to open a door; however, in this case, nobody is quite sure what door it was designed to open. There has even been an associated myth, in which my grandfather speaks of how he found it buried in his yard one day that he had fought with my grandmother. They tried opening different doors with it, but they could not find the proper one. During this adventure, my grandfather and my grandmother reconciled, so she calls it the key to her heart to this day. For me, this key is significant because it represents family unity, especially with regards to my grandparents, whose love has significantly influenced and shaped all of us. They are a beacon of light, and their love is one of the elements that keep our family together. In this sense, the key is a symbol both for their love and our family as a whole. Nevertheless, it is also points towards mystery, as they never revealed what exactly they were fighting about. Even though we can infer that it was something serious, they have never told us. This is even more puzzling because nobody has ever seen them fight. As such, the key also represents mystery and the possibility of losing love and family.
This object reveals many things about me, especially with regards to my family. I am very close to them, and the selection of this object shows it. Furthermore, one can see that our family unit is rather large, containing my grandparents, aunts and uncles as well. It emphasizes both love and family as core values for me, something that is very significant. In addition, it takes into account the mystery that both intimate life and love represent. Even though my family is very open, I have seen in the key the importance of also keeping one’s secrets to one’s self sometimes, as my grandparents have. Finally, it is also important to see that love is an important aspect of this object. It is astonishing to see how much can be interpreted from a simple key with regards to a family.