Wow "Coming Home Again" by Chang-rae Lee was a very intense essay. Cancer is one of those terrible things in life that we suddenly lose our loved ones to like car accidents or heart attacks. It does not pick a specific person based on any known traits except in obvious cases like smoking.
What’s the importance of food in this essay?
The food in this essay, to me , represents the family life and the traditions that are lost through time. There are many families that take great care to preserve their recipes. Its like a wedding ring that has been passed from mother to daughter through generations. Chang's mother who had come from Korea had grown up in Korea and had probably been taught all the magics of cooking by her mother. Chang doesn't go into specifics about his sister, but it sounds like he was the one most interested in cooking, so he would be the one to take over the tradition to pass on to his family. The kitchen was the place where the family could learn and talk and be one with their customs. This was where the magic happened. I think the U.S. must be the place where the saying "Too many cooks in the kitchen came from" because everywhere else I've been cooking is a family affair.
Chang describes the importance of food further, "During the following days, it was always the cooking that started our conversations. She'd hold an inquest over the cold leftovers we ate at lunch, discussing each dish in terms of its balance of flavors or what might have been prepared differently....I wish I had paid more attention....After her death when my father and I were the only ones left in the house, drifting through the rooms like ghosts, I sometimes tried to make that meal for him....but nothing turned out quite right, not the color-not the smell."(P34).This shows not only how much the life of his mother was missed during their family time, but also how important it was for them to keep with their traditions as it pertains to keeping the memories of loved ones close. While reading this, I really had the sense that Chang's mother was using the cooking as a way to stay in his and his father's life after she was gone. It is a very sad story, but a very good essay the way Chang is able to move back and forth like you would with real memories, not a linear time scale but through different important actions that happen in life.
Hi Eric,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your great insights! I love your point about cooking being a family affair in other countries. It seems like cooking can, at times, be a family affair in the U.S. and it may have been more so in the past, but nowadays food seems to be much less about tradition, ritual and family, than it is about eating. In our busy lives, it seems like fast food and fast eating have taken over, but hopefully, not for everyone.
I'm glad you mentioned the organization of the essay. Lee moves back and forth in the telling of his stories, which is not an easy feat to do successfully. A linear story line is much easier to write and follow. Lee must have labored over this text in order to help us follow the movement.
Lauren
Hi Eric,
ReplyDeleteI didn't make the connection but I think you're absolutely right that Chang-rae's mother was using her cooking to stay in their lives after she was gone. Or even if that is not what she intended, Chang-rae definitely used it to keep her in his life.
Deborah
Your statement "the food in this essay, to me , represents the family life and the traditions that are lost through time" seems to mirror my thought in that by reluctantly (in the beginning) teaching Chang-rae to cook, she passed on a legacy. He is now in a position to keep their traditions alive by passing down her skills and recipes to other family members. Since his sister didn't seem interested in learning these skills from his mother, Chang-rae was given this priceless gift.
ReplyDeleteHi Eric,
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought about how he was able to move back and forth in his writing like real memories. Very interesting point. I think that made the story more personal and interesting to read. I also agree that through cooking, his mother was able to stay with them after her death. That's why food was so important to him. Good job.
Hi Eric,
ReplyDeleteI like the word you use, "magic", in your writing. Food with family traditions is truly magical. I like how you discussed about Chang's writing, how he moved back and forth with his memories. I had not considered that and went back and read again. Yes, you are so right, this is what Chang did and that is what we do with our memories. Your writing was very good. Barb
Hey Eric-
ReplyDeleteI think that you did a great job describing what food meant in this story. It was the one thing that brought a mother and her son together. Many families don't take family traditions seriously anymore. My family and I have vowed to keep our traditions going so all of our family members that have passed can continue to live on. I think that you are right, family traditions are truly magical.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteIn response to your comment, "This shows not only how much the life of his mother was missed during their family time, but also how important it was for them to keep with their traditions as it pertains to keeping the memories of loved ones close."
I feel that by cooking and attempting to recreate his mothers dishes, it was almost like a way for him to honor her as well. Like an "in remembrance" kind of a deal. Each ingredient would be a little part of his mother that he was trying to keep alive and to remind his family of what a wonderful woman she was.