ลองตัวเอง

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.ancestors * {
   display: block;
   border: 2px solid lightgrey;
   color: lightgrey;
   padding: 5px;
   margin: 15px;
}
</style>
<script src="/lib/jquery-1.12.2.min.js"></script>
<script>
$(document).ready(function(){
   $("span").parent().css({"color": "red", "border": "2px solid red"});
});
</script>
</head>
<body>

<div class="ancestors">
  <div style="width:500px;">div (great-grandparent)
   <ul>ul (grandparent)
   <li>li (direct parent)
   <span>span</span>
   </li>
   </ul>
  </div>

  <div style="width:500px;">div (grandparent)
   <p>p (direct parent)
   <span>span</span>
   </p>
  </div>
</div>

</body>
</html>