What’s the importance of food in this essay?
During this story I became very hungry while reading it and everything sounded delicious. The importance of food in this story reflects family and culture. He talked about how he used to watch his mother cook in the kitchen starting at a very young age and observe the ways she used to do things. This kept the bond of him and his mother together and he enjoyed doing the same things she did. There were times she kicked him out of the kitchen but he would return. Other main importance is that he was able to learn foods from his culture and be able to keep those memories and recipes in his head for the future.
When his mom became sick with cancer of the stomach is was sad because of how much she used to cook and now she couldn’t eat. The last meal she ate was made by him which was an assortment of finger foods. She actually became a little hungry and it had been a long time since she had eaten something he had cooked. She was trying to enjoy a special meal but it was difficult.
This story reminds me of a relative I have who became ill and no longer can enjoy the great foods of our Italian culture. Her daughter actually has now taken over in the kitchen and has learned the same way he did by looking over everything mom did in the kitchen. Family is everything and spending time with them any way you can, will help bring the memories alive even if it has to do with the simple thing like food.
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Deborah,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments that food is an important part of our culture. During visits the food was a vehicle to his memories of his family. I agree that the irony of the stomach cancer was hard on him and his family. The path to his greatest memories with his mother was now a source of her pain. I have great memories of my grandmother cooking with her one good hand and the food she would make. I agree with you that family is everything and what a great way to spend time together.
Great points! Thanks for the point about food being a means to keep culture alive and the memory of his mother alive, which is an important theme in the story, especially given the way he chooses to conclude it; the story concludes with her alive on the side of the road.
ReplyDeleteLauren :)
I did this same one. I also agree that food has became a big role in our culture. I have learned so much by watching my mom cook. And just sitting and eating with others creates time to love and create memoreies.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you reflect the story with someone in your life. I also agree with you about the cooking being part of culture. I myself got a little hungry reading this story.
ReplyDeletei agree that food is a very big role in our culture. it was nice to hear that you had a connection with the story, on how your grandmother used to cook for you to!!
ReplyDeleteNIKI