This chapter really made me think. I never had considered this possibility before, so now I am racking my brain trying to remember meal scenes from novels I've read. One of the first ones that comes to mind is the wedding celebration scene in Kite Runner. After the main character got married, the two families shared a meal--proving that that the two families had joined as one. This makes sense to me, becuase we do that in our society too. I had just never considered the symbolism of the reption/meal. So far I like this book.
OK, so what do you think? Is eating a meal in literature more than just eating a meal? Do you agree with the author? If so, why? If not, why not? Can you think of an example from literature of a meal/communion with a deeper meaning? If so, describe it. Be sure to include the title and author.
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I never thought of that either! The book I am reading now, Antsy Does Time by Shusterman has very specific references to meals. Antsy's family is a big, loud, Italian bunch and their mealtime reflects that. He visits his friend, Gunnar, whose family's mealtimes are much different. There is a plate set for the absentee father and, as you get to know the family more, the father is more than just absent in the physical sense. He is a compulsive gambler so he is actually absent emotionally from the family as well.
Wow. I can't think of a single scene except in A Christmas Carol. The entire time Scrooge is selfish and gives the cold shoulder to Cratchit family and that all changes in the end and he comes together with them for a meal. It really does show them come together as a family.
I do agree with the author. I think that there are very few times when eating is simply eating. There are few times in a book when a meal doesn't turn into an event. In "The Notebook" by Nicholas Sparks, the first time Noah meets her family, the question him about money adn other sensitive subjects. This foreshadows the temporary separation of the two who are in love.
This book really makes me think of things I haven't really thought of before...I agree with the author in thinking that eating a meal in literature is not just eating a meal because every time an author ever writes about people eating a meal, then it has to deal with how the family associates with each other or what they think. It always makes you learn more about the people who are eating the meal. I can't remember a book at the moment that has a meal like that though...
I would have never thought that a meal could be interpreted that way. I had always assumed that a meal in the story just made it seem more real. I have noticed instances in which the case mentioned in the book to be true. In the novel The Kite Runner, the main character marries and is invited to dinner by her family. He is asked questions but it seemed that the dinner strengthened the bonds within the family.
This is defintely something that i never thought about before because i just always thought that eating was simply eating. After reading this chapter i can see how it can be something more because just an eating scene is boring. In the book "rocket boys" they always tried to have dinner together, but Jim would usually get up and leave, this helped us see the tension between Sonny and Jim.
I would have never imagined a dinner being portrayed any other way very rarely in a book while eating the occasional meal will a character make a simple sentence, such as pass the salt, etc. and leave it at that. When I think about it, in books they really do have a scene of some sort, were it portrays the feelings with in the family or friends while they eat. In the book Hannibal by Thomas Harris during dinner a horrible act on the main character disrupts dinner. This man feeds him a part of a brain! YUCK!!!
I agree with the author. It actually makes me think of the book twilight, maybe because i just recently read the book. In the book there are many meal scenes and the one that pops out is the time Edward and Bell first have dinner together in Port Angeles. The whole meal takes place because of the incident that had taken place before hand that lead to Edward having dinner with Bella in the first place. When Stephanie Myer is describing the scene, she talks about how Edward insists on Bella getting some food into her system. When they have dinner Edward refuses the food because of some complications (I dont want to go into too much detail why for those who havent read it or are currently reading it) while Bella orders and eats the food. This kind of communion scene is to distinguish the differences between Edward and Bella even though the food creates a bond between the two because they both have to consume something. What that is that they consume is irrelevant in the communion.
Having read one of the short stories that the author used as an example in the chapter (Raymond Carver's 'Cathedral'), I am very familiar with the theme of eating in fiction. It was one of the works covered in my Creative Writing class.
Carver describes the meal and very fast and they focused solely on eating instead of talking. During the course of the scene, and the following scene where they both get high together, you can see the narrator's tensions dissolving.
THis book gives a better insight into the things that you read. I would have never looked into the different meanings that could come from eating.
This book really interests me because it's helping me understand different things in literature that I never would have even noticed before. I never would have taken the time to notice that eating isn't just always eating. It does tend to be something more than just people gathering to eat a meal. I don't think that an author would just put a random eating situation into a book without it having some purpose or something happening at the meal. It really opened my eyes and showed me to pay more attention to certain details in different situations.
I do agree with the author eating scenes are not really for just eating. As I'm sure many of you know I don't read very much so I can't think of any scenes from books where people just eat, but I know in movies eating scenes are normally made for humor like in the Nutty Professor when they all sit at the table and pass gas it is just a funny scene.
I am enjoying this book a lot. It really gives me a different insight on reading. Finally, some reading that I enjoy! The only thing I can think of, and since it is Christmas, I chose the perfect movie. In How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Jim Carrey, then ending scene is all the whos and the grinch sitting at a huge table sharing a huge Christmas feast! This is part of the turning point in the movie because the Grinch has just realized he does have a heart and he does care about Christmas and he and all the Who's have finally found the real meaning of Christmas!
So, I definitely have to agree with the author on this one. I honestly can't think of an example at the moment, other than the ones that everyone else has mentioned. I don't think an author is going to write a scene in which the characters are eating just to eat, unless he/she truly wants to bore their readers.
I agree with the author as well. I always think of dinner settings as awkward and they usually don't lead to good outcomes. I can't think of any setting in a book right now but a lot of scenes from movies are coming to mind in which I believe have the same meaning and purpose. In both movies Stepbrother and in Role Play they both have awkward dinner settings. The families end up getting into arguments with one another.
i also agree with the author about the eating issue. along with jana3 i dont read much at all so the eating scenes that i think of come from movies and are normally awkward/funny. like the one in Billy Madison when he slurps his soup and his dad gets mad at him.
I like this book so far. He kind of rambles just a little bit. But I understand what he is talking about. Sometimes a meal is not just a meal. You don't eat with somebody that you don't necessarily get along with. A meal most of the time means more than just sharing food. I can't think of an example of one though I know that I have read something that fits.
i never really would have thought that "eating" could be so important. i thought maybe the writer just wanted to give you an image as to what all is going on possibly.. but now i can kind of see how it could be important.
I had never thought of eating a meal as having a deeper meaning, but as soon as he said it, i could definitely see it. I can't imagine a writer taking a long time to write a boring dinner scene unless it had some deeper meaning. I can't think of a work of literature off the top of my head that has a meal in it, but i can think of a show. In Brothers and Sisters all the major fighting and making up happens during their dinners.
I think this section will be extremely helpful in books that I read in the future... It kind of serves as an interpretor for all meals. But the author is right, usually there aren't many meal scenes in books, but when there are, they serve a very significant purpose. I read this chapter the same day I went to eat with the Rotary Club, and it was all I could think of. Expecially when the man broke the piece of bed, symbolizing their communion.
I completely agree with the author, i just honestly never thought of it that way before. I definately think that meals in literatureare more significant that just a simple meal, and his statement that a meal is such a comon and boring thing otherwise, that it has to be significant in order for an author to take the time to describe it convinced me. Now, every meal scene i can ever remember reading makes more sense and adds more meaning to the over all plot of the story. For example, in the book The Shack by William Young, the main character's breakfast with the trinity isn't mearly heavenly eggs and bacon, but a close and intimate experience, like you would ahve with a close friend or family, with God.
I never really put much thought into eating. Usually when I read about a meal, I figured they were just trying to pass time in the book. I never thought that it coupld be so important. Now that he pointed that out I see where eating a meal could play a major role.
Yes I agree with the author on this one. To me growing up I hold always felt safe at the dinner table were ever it my be it kinda gives you that safe feeling. Were u can open up an be you. I think all authors see this an use moments like eating to really show there audiences the charecters heart and souls.
I agree. i think eating a meal is always important because something big is being discussed that is a big part in the book. In The Stranger where he eats with his neighbor across the hall in his apartment and the neighbor raymond tells him everything about his life and they become friends.
Yes, I agree with the author. Eating is most of the time is just more than eating because sometimes you must eat because you mainly have a purpose to eat. Whether it is because you are hungry,it may be religious, or some other reason I just can't think of. I really cannot think of a book that describes eating wiht more of a purpose
Eating a meal in literature is like eating a meal in real life. We sit down to do more than just eat we talk about previous occurances that day we share our problems and relate to each other for our hopes in tomorrow being a better day. I agree with the auther. I've read the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye. In it the families are seperated at times and rejoice in behing able to be with each other. It's a time of thanks. It becomes food for the soul as well as the body.
I really cant believe how much this book has allready opened my mind to reading. Things i've read in the past are coming back and making a whole lot more sense now. I completely agree with the author. Metaphorically using a meal scene in a writing helps create bonds between all kinds of things in a peice of writing, and this is something that I never thought of before. I allready like this book.
haha Iv'e never thought of eating and such a deep thought. When i read this chapter def understood it a little more on why they put dinner scenes in books. They wouldn't include it if it didn't have another meaning than just eating. I can't think of a piece of literature off the top of my head, but now when i read boos i will look for a deeper meaning than just whats on the surface.
ok well i for got my password and having to retype all this over again butt..everyone agrees with the author but i dont a meal is jus a meal..its jus there cuz everyonecan relate to it..a meal never started anything or finished it for wat all ive read or saw, its jus there to tkae up time, space and has no true meaning to the real background info..mind the bad spelling and grammar plz
this is an interesting book if i may say so myself...and i do agree with the author although a meal can sometimes just be a meal...but when you think about it when you sit down with anybody to really have a so-called "meal" you always talk about important things and same as the author says having a meal scene in a book eventually leads to something significant later in the chapters....i mean books rarely have meal scenes in them!
I'v never really thought of a meal in this way. I can't really think of an instance that a meal wasn't just a meal off hand but it does seem to make since.I'm sure I'll watch for more symbolism in the books I read from now on. This book shows alot of aspects to the stories that I'v never really thought of till now.
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