The document summarizes and analyzes Jhumpa Lahiri's short stories "A Temporary Matter" and "Mrs. Sen's" from her book Interpreter of Maladies. It discusses how the stories use representations of food and food culture to explore issues of community, gender roles, and women's agency among diasporic characters. In "A Temporary Matter," the relationship between Shukumar and Shoba breaks down as Shoba stops cooking and their pantry empties, representing her withdrawing from the marriage. In "Mrs. Sen's," the title character finds agency and community through cooking for young Eliot, but loses it again after a forced driving lesson causes her to withdraw. The document analyzes how the
The Joys of Motherhood Myth or Reality_.pptxPandyaMayuri
"The Joys of Motherhood" is a phrase that can be interpreted in many different ways, depending on an individual's personal experiences and beliefs. Some may view motherhood as a joyful and fulfilling experience, while others may view it as a difficult and challenging one. Ultimately, the reality of motherhood will vary from person to person.
In some cultures, motherhood is considered the ultimate goal for women, and is associated with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Mothers are revered and respected for their ability to raise children and pass on cultural traditions and values. In these societies, the joys of motherhood are seen as very real and tangible.
However, in other cultures, motherhood may be viewed as a burden or a sacrifice. Women may feel trapped by their maternal responsibilities, or resentful of the societal pressures to become mothers. In these contexts, the joys of motherhood may seem like a myth, a romanticized ideal that does not reflect the realities of daily life.
In modern Western societies, the reality of motherhood can vary greatly depending on a woman's individual circumstances. Some mothers may find immense joy in raising their children, while others may struggle with the demands of work, family, and personal fulfillment. In general, the joys of motherhood are often intertwined with the challenges and sacrifices that come with raising children.
Cooking As Metaphor Of The Solitary Voice Of Women With Respect To Laura Esqu...inventionjournals
: Laura Esquivel presents a totally different aspect of women’s voice through her book Like Water
for Chocolate (LWC). The plight of Mexican women in the novel is almost similar to the others the world over.
It is through the metaphor of cooking and food that the story is revealed to the readers. A solitary voice from a
Mexican kitchen which is silent, but intense is how the author presents. This article is about the uniqueness of
the theme in a changing scenario where folk culture is almost forgotten in this world. The women’s voice
reflected will be explored on the basis of the metaphor of cooking.
The Joys of Motherhood Myth or Reality_.pptxPandyaMayuri
"The Joys of Motherhood" is a phrase that can be interpreted in many different ways, depending on an individual's personal experiences and beliefs. Some may view motherhood as a joyful and fulfilling experience, while others may view it as a difficult and challenging one. Ultimately, the reality of motherhood will vary from person to person.
In some cultures, motherhood is considered the ultimate goal for women, and is associated with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Mothers are revered and respected for their ability to raise children and pass on cultural traditions and values. In these societies, the joys of motherhood are seen as very real and tangible.
However, in other cultures, motherhood may be viewed as a burden or a sacrifice. Women may feel trapped by their maternal responsibilities, or resentful of the societal pressures to become mothers. In these contexts, the joys of motherhood may seem like a myth, a romanticized ideal that does not reflect the realities of daily life.
In modern Western societies, the reality of motherhood can vary greatly depending on a woman's individual circumstances. Some mothers may find immense joy in raising their children, while others may struggle with the demands of work, family, and personal fulfillment. In general, the joys of motherhood are often intertwined with the challenges and sacrifices that come with raising children.
Cooking As Metaphor Of The Solitary Voice Of Women With Respect To Laura Esqu...inventionjournals
: Laura Esquivel presents a totally different aspect of women’s voice through her book Like Water
for Chocolate (LWC). The plight of Mexican women in the novel is almost similar to the others the world over.
It is through the metaphor of cooking and food that the story is revealed to the readers. A solitary voice from a
Mexican kitchen which is silent, but intense is how the author presents. This article is about the uniqueness of
the theme in a changing scenario where folk culture is almost forgotten in this world. The women’s voice
reflected will be explored on the basis of the metaphor of cooking.
"Touch-Me-Not" by Ismat Chughtai: A Critical AnalysisPrayag Mohanty
"Touch-Me-Not" by Ismat Chughtai is a daring and provocative short story that delves into themes of gender, power dynamics, and societal expectations in mid-20th century Indian society. Set against the backdrop of a conservative Muslim household, the story follows the protagonist, Sultana, a young woman who rebels against the traditional roles imposed upon her.
Chughtai's narrative challenges traditional gender norms by portraying Sultana as a defiant figure who refuses to conform to the patriarchal expectations placed upon her. Through her character, Chughtai explores the complexities of female desire and agency in a society that seeks to suppress them.
The title "Touch-Me-Not" serves as a metaphor for Sultana's resistance to being confined or controlled by others. It symbolizes her determination to assert her autonomy and challenge the restrictive norms of her environment.
Chughtai's writing is characterized by its boldness and frankness, tackling taboo subjects with unflinching honesty. She exposes the hypocrisy and double standards inherent in a society that places undue emphasis on female chastity and obedience.
Overall, "Touch-Me-Not" offers a thought-provoking critique of gender roles and societal expectations, while also celebrating the courage and resilience of those who dare to defy them.
Food and LiteratureFood is one thing that is essential in the body.docxRAJU852744
Food and Literature
Food is one thing that is essential in the body of a human being and. Eating is correlated with food has been found to be connected with the social functioning of human beings. Some of the behaviors and rituals observed while eating as well as the company one chooses to foster when eating and dining has an importance when it comes to the building of good understanding among human beings in the society
(Kinkead, Evelyn &Lynne, 246)
. The psychoanalytic theory in place has held the thought that the eating habits employed by an individual can be useful in self-identity as well as defining the family class and social status as well the ethnic group of a particular individual. Food and eating practices have been part of literature for such a long time. Themes related to food are found in a vast number of literature books, and they have been used so as to bring about visual as well as verbal impact in the works of literature.
Teatime is the most common type of setting of food in the children’s literature works. The teatime in the children’s literature has been known to bring about a sense of harmony or disharmony. It is through the teatime that the characters in the book will get to learn about things in their surrounding environment. Food in other literature works has also been using to bring out the sense of coziness and plenty. Apart from portraying the civilization and the social order in the society, food has also been used to exemplify the limitations and the excesses that exist in the fantasy world of a child.
In the adult, literature food has an important role to play as well. Food in certain adult literature has been used to portray the complexities of human beings, and apart from this, it has also been used to bring out a sense of richness and the indefinability of the experience of human beings. Food and acting have also found importance in the dramas and plays as they bring out the realism of the drama or the play in action as eating is a significant activity. Different authors have used different foods to bring out certain meanings and themes, and thus food has been important both sensually and sensory in the works of literature
(Kinkead, Evelyn &Lynne, 242)
.
The dining rituals that are seen among individuals are used to exemplify human behavior and their desires. Food metaphors have been used so as to classify people based on the social class and their status in the society. In some books, it has been noted that the authors made use of food to explicate the struggles that an African American had to undergo. Therefore food has been used as an indicator of the social class of individuals in the society as well as the ethnicity of an individual
(Walker, Renee, Christopher &Jessica, 888)
. Food has also been employed in the feminist works of literature to bring out the issues of gender. In the literature works, food brings out the sense of sexual politics as well as social dislocation. The kitchen has been used to ...
Pre Written Essays. 001 Essay Example Professional ThatsnotusLisa Cartagena
How to Buy Pre Written Essays at Reliable Freelance Company. 017 Pre Written Essays For Free Essay ~ Thatsnotus. Buy custom pre written essays online expert writing discount. Medically energetic positive or negative? Pre written essay | Teaching .... Buy pre written essays and papers best academic papers. Pre written essays plagiarism. Pre Writing Essays. Buy Cheap Pre Written Essays at Custom Paper Writing Service | Paper .... How to write a good academic essay.
Search of Identity: A study of Manju Kapur’s novel “Difficult Daughters”inventionjournals
This paper presents the woman as an individual who fights against suppression and oppression of the patriarchy. The novel Difficult Daughters sensibly shows the position of women and her longing struggle to establish an identity. Manju Kapur has come out as serious social thinker in her novels because there is a purpose behind her writing. All her novels have been written with a definite purpose because the novelist tries to analyze issues related to the middle class or upper middle class women. Manju Kapur is much interested to present the questions and problems related to women in a larger perspective. In her novels, the women’s questions have emerged essentially in the context of the identity of the new educated middle class. Manju Kapur’s female protagonists are mostly educated. They are strong individuals but imprisoned within the boundary of conservative society. Their education leads them to independent thinking for which their family and society become intolerable to them, in their individual struggle with family and society through which they plunged into a dedicated effort to search an identity for them as qualified women with faultless background. The novelist has portrayed her protagonists as women caught in the conflict between the passions of the flesh and yearning to be a part of the political and intellectual society of today
Food and Food Culture as a Metaphor for Women’s Agency and Community
1. Heather Sargent
4/5/15
Food and Food Culture as a Metaphor for Women’s Agency and Community in Jhumpa Lahiri’s
“A Temporary Matter” and “Mrs. Sen’s”
Jhumpa Lahiri’s short stories, “A Temporary Matter” and “Mrs. Sen’s” in her book
Interpreter of Maladies, through representations of food and food culture, spotlight deep cultural
issues, such as community and gender roles, with special focus on women’s agency and sense of
community in diasporic characters. Laura Ahn Williams argues “food is the means for the
characters to assert agency and subjectivity in ways that function as an alternative to the
dominant culture” (70). This assertion opened a new way of reading these two stories for me and
brought about a deeper understanding of Lahiri’s work in this book as a whole. For this reason, I
will use Williams’s article, “Foodways and Subjectivity in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of
Maladies” as a guideline for a conversation about food metaphors, community, and women’s
agency, specifically in “A Temporary Matter” and “Mrs. Sen’s”. The conversation will begin
with an appetizing sample of food culture representations and women’s agency before indulging
in the main course, which is connecting these representations to the two stories, followed by a
delectable dollop of what Lahiri accomplishes here as a conclusion. Now for the appetizer.
Food holds an important place in Lahiri’s stories and can often be seen as having multiple
meanings, many of which will be discussed throughout this paper. Speaking specifically about
Asian American literature, Williams asserts “food as a metaphor frequently constructs and
reflects relationships to racialized subjectivity” (70). The same argument can be made for
Lahiri’s stories, but more from a perspective of gendered subjectivity in that food constantly first
builds, then mirrors relationships in regard to gender roles. This is seen in “A Temporary Matter”
2. Sargent 2
by Shukumar and Shoba and their relationship with the pantry. Shoba was always the preparer of
the food, the nurturer, and Shukumar the consumer – a concept that will be discussed in greater
detail later. In “Mrs. Sen’s” the role is the same, she is the caretaker, the nurturer, yet she is
constantly frustrated by the lack of necessary ingredients to prepare the kind of sustenance she
desires to create. Williams goes on to say that the food metaphor “also addresses issues of
authenticity, assimilation, and desire” (70). Authenticity having to do with the mingling of
cultures from the country of origin with the new country and the ingredients found there, this
metaphor suggests perhaps an experience not entirely authentic in the hearts of characters who
struggle with assimilation, as does Mrs. Sen. Shukumar’s half-hearted desire to nurture his wife
during their period of mourning is wrapped up in food metaphor as well, he tries to feed her by
using her recipes, with her personal notes, and by consuming the ingredients she previously
purchased, thereby offering nothing original of himself other than the time and desire to have her
eat something besides cereal for dinner. Shoba’s desire is simply to be free of the emotional
consumption, which leads us to the topic of women’s agency.
The term “women’s agency” used throughout innumerable articles and essays ought to be
replaced simply with “agency,” so for the purposes of this paper they will be synonymous. If
“the notion of agency is defined as initiating an action by one’s own choice,” as is explained in
Shobhita Jain’s article, then the women characters in Lahiri’s “A Temporary Matter” and “Mrs.
Sen’s” show their agency in opposite ways with regard to food (2312). In “A Temporary Matter”
Shoba stops feeding her husband and therefore begins to take leave from her marriage before
being wholly consumed by her husband, Shukumar. In “Mrs. Sen’s” she, Mrs. Sen herself,
becomes a caregiver for young Eliot and her identity and agency can be found through the act of
her preparing food for her charge. An interesting note in these stories is the parallel of sustenance
3. Sargent 3
to the human body. In the first, the sustenance stops and as a result the relationship starves, in the
second, sustenance begins and therefore a relationship is built, an important metaphor when
considering food culture.
Women’s agency as much to do with socializing and the skills required to adequately
perform in social settings. Jain suggests that the difficulties of new situations, whether
celebrating the good or surviving the bad, leads women to continually build and nurture new
relationships, and that the woman’s “social competence in the various arenas of action over the
years keeps the cultural process of life-long learning alive” and that further by doing so they
“create the social fabric of everyday life” as “they respond to demands of building new
relationships in order to carry forward human sustenance;” to which she concludes is why we
have women’s agency in the open at all (2312). It is for that reason we can even recognize the
agency employed by Shoba and Mrs. Sen. Williams argues that these women, “wives of Indian
academics, all utilize foodways to construct their own unique racialized subjectivity and to
engender agency” (70). The term “foodways” refers to the space where food intersects culture,
history, and tradition. Different than food culture, it has similar connotations. Essentially the
women characters take hold of their gender role as it refers to food, and through their own
agency, make it their own and find some piece of themselves in doing so. With this tidbit in
mind, we move to the main course.
Abundance and Consumption in “A Temporary Matter”
The theme of abundance and consumption in “A Temporary Matter” is rife with food
metaphor. Even the fact that the story is told from the point of view of Shukumar, the consumer,
is evidence of this theme. It is Shoba’s foresight and planning that keeps their pantry and freezer
filled with food, more than they need – Shoba represents abundance. Her emotional abundance,
4. Sargent 4
or lack of, can be evidenced throughout the story by the pantry shelves (Williams 71). In the
beginning they are full, brimming, by the end they are nearly wholly consumed. Shoba shows her
“knowledge and agency outside her husband’s imagining” by her “knowledge of and relation to
food” (Williams 71). This is the agency that allows her to consider her own future. Shukumar
tries to feed Shoba, he devours the recipes in her book with her own notes and changes and
makes dinners for them. At first this may be seen as an act of abundance, yet he uses Shoba’s
resources to accomplish this task. Shukumar absorbs all the resources of the marriage, as is
reflected in the pantry, he devours everything in sight – just as the plague of locusts in Biblical
times, after which follows darkness.
Finding Identity through Food in “Mrs. Sen’s”
In “Mrs. Sen’s,” the story’s namesake identifies herself only as the professor’s wife,
many times adding that he teaches math. Once young Eliot comes into her care she begins
crafting an identity for herself through her preparation of food while telling Eliot of the
homeland she misses so much where food involved community in a way much more involved
than she finds in America. She misses the rooftop gatherings in India of women coming together
to prepare vegetables for a celebration the next day, a socializing event. Through food Eliot
becomes Mrs. Sen’s community. It is the preparation of food and the treks to get ingredients that
reveals Mrs. Sen’s agency, and she gains more confidence.
Her husband, Mr. Sen, however, wants her to drive so she can become independent and
free to find a community to which she can belong, or perhaps he’s just tired of the inconvenience
of driving her to the fish market. Mr. Sen becomes more and more insistent she learn to drive and
thereby forces her into doing something she is completely unprepared for and uncomfortable
with. He is under the impression this will solve his wife’s loneliness when in reality it causes her
5. Sargent 5
to withdraw back to where the story starts, losing all the agency she had gained during her time
as Eliot’s caregiver. This happens because she gets into a minor car accident which also has the
effect of removing Eliot from her care, and she loses her community again. At the end Mrs. Sen
gives Eliot a snack of peanut butter crackers and rather than offer him something herself if he is
still hungry, she instructs Mr. Sen to give him a popsicle in this case, “the poverty of
nourishment in the snacks,” explains Williams, “reflects a poverty of emotional nourishment for
Mrs. Sen as well” (74). It is important to note that she gives him one parting snack and refuses to
feed him anymore, if hunger is still present it is now Mr. Sen’s job to provide the nutritionally
devoid snack.
The Sweetness
Lahiri’s characters force the reader to care about them, creating a desire to see them find
happiness in the end. This does not really happen. Her stories are like a snippet of real life where
things don’t always work out or where there is still great pain and loneliness to overcome. They
become “slightly unsettling and difficult to swallow” as Williams states (78). It doesn’t end
there, however. Lahiri’s intricate food metaphors serve a greater purpose as they “open up spaces
in which marginalized identities generate a sense of agency and difference with transformative
and productive potential” (Williams 78). This means that while the reader may desire the happy
ending, Lahiri’s stories, particularly “A Temporary Matter” and “Mrs. Sen’s” create a space for
important conversations about immigrant experiences and agency paving the way for better
understanding of these very real experiences, and as a result, perhaps, better options for these
diasporic communities.
6. Sargent 6
Works Cited
Jain, Shobhita. “Women’s Agency in the Context of Family Networks in Indian Diaspora.”
Economic and Political Weekly 41.23 (2006): 2312-16. JSTOR. Web. 4 Apr. 2015.
Lahiri, Jhumpa. Interpreter of Maladies. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcort, 1999. Kindle.
Williams, Laura Ahn. “Foodways and Subjectivity in Jhumpa Lahiri’s ‘Interpreter of Maladies’.”
MELUS 32.4 (2007): 69-79. JSTOR. Web. 4 Apr. 2015.