The authors physical home never seems to really be mentioned in this essay. I didn't see much reference to the neighborhood he lived in, nor do I remember any significant description of the house. What was said about the house was always in reference to his mother's illness, like when he could hear her walking down the hallway, pulling her IV stand with her. I believe the author would consider the kitchen and his mother combined, to be his "home".
As a small child, he seems to have bonded most with his mother while watching her cook. She created an almost ritual style atmosphere with her cooking habits, and seemed respectful of the food itself. This love and respect was passed onto him, and as he grew older, it seems he enjoyed cooking, because he might have equated the cooking style of what he learned, with love for his mother. As an adult, when his mother became ill, he completed the circle by cooking for the person who taught him these rituals, even when he knew she could not eat.
The act of sitting down at the kitchen table with the family, and everyone in their proper seats, tied the author even closer to the kitchen. This is where the family might communicate with each other, and share their lives and stories.
While the author was away at Exeter, he was missing his parents, overwhelmed by the school and learning to live on his own. When his parents came on their first visit to him, he hung out with them in their hotel room. His mother surprised him by pulling a cooler of homemade food out of the closet, a veritable kitchen from home, filled with his childhood memories of food. He attacked the food, not because he was hungry, but because he missed being in the kitchen, with his mom. He was left with a feeling of satisfaction after eating.
From the essay, it's obvious to me that the author would call his mother's kitchen his home, as he has many fond memories of food and love.
Hi Carrie,
ReplyDeleteYou answered the question and then you supported your answer with your observations of the text and your critical thinking.
Your observation that he never mentions his physical home is great. Given the detailed descriptions he provides in this essay, it would stand to reason that if his house was what he was referring to in the title, then he'd spend some time discussing it. I agree with you that the kitchen and his mother are his home.
I looked up the definition of home, and one of the definitions is "the place in which one's domestic affections are centered." The kitchen and his mother are the two places where the narrator places his "domestic affections."
Thanks for sharing your insights.
Take care,
Lauren
Hi Carrie,
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with you; I too think that the kitchen was representation of the home. It was a place where everyone came to not only eat but to share their lives and that special time with each other. I love the bond that took place with the son and his mom. I must admit I had to go back and read some part of the story again because I thought for sure that the author was speaking her daughter, rather than her son at first. It took me by surprise when I learned that it indeed was the boy and not one of the girls. I love how you talk about the bond that was created between mom and son and how her love and respect was passed down. This in turn sure came across as you read how much love he put into cooking; while his mom was so sick and then even after she died. I love how he tried to keep her spirit alive in that little kitchen they called home; by cooking that large meal even though it was just his dad and himself. It amazes me just home different we can be and then just how much we really are alike, when it comes to our love for our family.
Thanks for sharing I enjoyed reading it.
Stacy
I believe that wherever her mother is, the author consider it to be his home. A house without family is not considered as home. Presence of family is what makes it a home. Like you, I also did notice that his physical home was not mentioned anywhere in the essay. Whenever he talks about his home it is always his mother and his family. I too believe in author’s mentality about house. In the essay he mostly mentions the scenario in the kitchen and dinning table. May be it is at kitchen his intimacy with is mother was created and may be it was there he adopted his mother’s legacy of holding family together.
ReplyDeleteHello Carrie,
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time visiting your blog! I like your writing style and the words you use to describe the scenes. I also agree with you that the author refers to his childhood kitchen as home. When the author comes back to live with his parents, he is immediately involved in cooking in the house and I also believe this is what he calls “coming home again”.
Hello Carrie,
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with you. I don't recall the author ever mentioning where home was but he kept referring to the kitchen as being one of the most cherished memories of his child hood and his mom. Food was the foundation of their relationship and it was unfortunate that his mother had to suffer such a horrible illnes and her regret was the fact that she was never going to get that time back and that time should have been to spend time with the whole family but instead he was off at school.
Hope you have a great week!
Jaime Rivera
Home is in the kitchen. That is where the author felt home was. His child hood memories where in the kitchen with his mother watching her cook. The kitchen is where he felt most comfortable and happy. Also the food that he grew up eating was comfort food to him. It reminded him of his home in the kitchen with his mom. He missed home and appreciated the home cooking that he ate at school.
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ReplyDeleteIn this story I believe "home" wasnt actually a physical location but more of a feeling. The feeling of having your son with you cooking in the kicthen while he watches sharing time and memories. Home was in their heart and kitchen.The old home left when his mother passed so now I think he must make his own home with building blocks made of his memories. This story was about change and acceptance.
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