What's the importance of food in this essay?
The author tells a story about a time in his life when his mom got sick and died. The way that he tells the story is through a visual recollection of memories that for the most part have to do with food. When he first starts to tell you about his mom he starts off with how she is "fed" through an electric pump. Every time the author tells you about a part of his life he includes something about food. When he first moved back into the house, he started to taking over all the cooking and cleaning of the house. Then he writes about when he was a child and was sent to a boarding school, his parents visited him and had brought a large amount of food, he ate so much he got sick.
The author tied most of the story together food. I think that it makes it easier to relate to. By talking about family life, sitting at the table together, and laughing in the kitchen as a meal is made, the majority of people have had that at some point in their life. Then to tell the reader that he (the author) has tried to mimic the recipes tells me that he has tried to fill the void, but can't. I really liked the story, the author describes alot of events with the use of food. The story would have been alot harder to follow had he not described how his mother brought the family together with food.
Hi Benjamin,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you mentioned the opening lines of the reading. They are striking. I remember being hooked by his introduction the very first time I read it. It's unusual, though, to read an introduction as startling as this one is; he throws his readers into his story with no preparation for what's to come.
Thanks for your insights.
Lauren
As you mentioned, "his mother brought together the family with food", I find it sadly ironic that Chang-rae's mother had stomach cancer and had to feed through a tube in her last days of life. It seems cruel as food seemed to have played such a significant role in her life. I agree that this story is relatable. I have so many memories of my grandma cooking for all of us and now that she's gone, I try, as Chang-rae does, to replicate some of those meals for my family, along with my grandpa, who seems to appreciates my attempts.
ReplyDeleteHi Benjamin,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on how food play a big role on Lee's story about her sick mother and how food broght them together. Something that I also found important on this reading is how he and his mom had such a strong bond before he when off to school, and food help them come closer after those tough years between them when he's away from home.
Estela