Personally, I thought this has been one of the best books I’ve read all year. I picked this book because the title intrigued me, but when I heard it was a cooking book I was scared of what I got myself into. This novel is actually very interesting and I was pleased and amused the whole time reading it. The characters in the novel are entertaining and relatable. Even though one may hate Ruth’s mother or her friends, they are still a very important aspect to her childhood.
I loved all the recipes and thought they were the most unique piece of the novel. Not only does most of the recipes sound delicious, but also they all come with a sentimental story behind them, which makes it more personal to cook them. She also did a fantastical job at describing the food. Even though half of the times I was reading this book I was already starving, this only added on to my hunger. I actually really want to try to make the “Artpark Brownies”(244), since they sound so delicious.
The only negative aspect that I can find about this book is that it was a bit long. But beside the length of it, each chapter seemed as if it was a new chapter in her life. I also loved the way each title was significant and would foreshadow something important that would happen in that chapter.
For upcoming AP Lang classes that will have to read Era six, I would recommend them to pick this book because it was captivating and the imagery throughout the novel kept the reader connected to the characters and felt a personal connection with Ruth Reichl.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Rhetorical Strategies
• “ ‘He married two of them.’ Suddenly I understood: crazy women”(33).- Parallelism
• “ ‘ Just because we live like animals’ Mrs. Peavy replied”(38).- Simile
• “I could see the satin sash on Mrs. Peavey’s pale dress as she danced around a candle-covered Christmas tree. And I could hear the string quartet that came every Sunday in the music room”(41). – Imagery
• “ ‘Don’t go to bed too late, Pussycat’ she’d say gaily, walking out the door in a cloud of perfume”(44).- Euphemism
• I imagined myself floating down the stairs in front of the Winged Victory like Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face”(51).- Allusion
• “Disaster was always simmering just below the surface and we cherished every peaceful moment with my mother”(51)- Trope
• “It looked like something from Charles Dickens books we had been reading in Mrs. Perrin’s class”(55)- Allusion
• “On Mars even my name was different”(57)- Metaphor
The author compares Hortence, her father’s first wife, to her mother. Both of the women were young and beautiful, while one was clearly insane and not aloud to be spoken of, Ruth’s mother was also crazy which slowly makes an appearance in each chapter.
Ruth Reichl does also a great job at being very descriptive throughout her writing. In the novel one can get lost in the vivid images of the cuisine that she encounters. Describing her childhood with bright images is a way she is able to connect to the readers and maintaining their attention.
• “ ‘ Just because we live like animals’ Mrs. Peavy replied”(38).- Simile
• “I could see the satin sash on Mrs. Peavey’s pale dress as she danced around a candle-covered Christmas tree. And I could hear the string quartet that came every Sunday in the music room”(41). – Imagery
• “ ‘Don’t go to bed too late, Pussycat’ she’d say gaily, walking out the door in a cloud of perfume”(44).- Euphemism
• I imagined myself floating down the stairs in front of the Winged Victory like Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face”(51).- Allusion
• “Disaster was always simmering just below the surface and we cherished every peaceful moment with my mother”(51)- Trope
• “It looked like something from Charles Dickens books we had been reading in Mrs. Perrin’s class”(55)- Allusion
• “On Mars even my name was different”(57)- Metaphor
The author compares Hortence, her father’s first wife, to her mother. Both of the women were young and beautiful, while one was clearly insane and not aloud to be spoken of, Ruth’s mother was also crazy which slowly makes an appearance in each chapter.
Ruth Reichl does also a great job at being very descriptive throughout her writing. In the novel one can get lost in the vivid images of the cuisine that she encounters. Describing her childhood with bright images is a way she is able to connect to the readers and maintaining their attention.
Symbol
Through out the novel, food serves as a keystone element for it is able to unite and inspire characters though out the book. Not only does each chapter have a new recipe, but every recipe can be traced to hold an important element of Ruth's life. For example, Alice's Apple Dumplings serves as an opportunity for Alice to bring peace during times of troubles. Ruth favors the dumplings and learns to make the dish in order to bring joy to others just like how Alice used to do. Cooking is an opportunity for her to show how she put others before herself. Her hard work put in to mastering intricate dishes were not for self-benefit, but served as a way to cheer up other characters in her life and to create a personal connection with them. Food served around the table, keeps conversation and unity between Beatrice and her father. While food is a way for Ruth’s mother to show her high class and express how she feels that she belongs among the aristocrats of society. Cooking is not only a passion for Ruth, it is also an inspiration and a challenge. The kitchen becomes a place where Ruth can escape her fears and the struggles that are awaiting her at home and throughout her life.
Themes and Motifs
One theme that I saw carry out throughout the novel was that children living in a broken home are mature and dependent. This can be seen through out the novel since Ruth has always been so responsible ever since a very young age. Living with a manic depressive mother and a push over dad, Ruth was always left with very important decisions to make. Having to mature fast and be a responsible child, Ruth had to clean up after her mother’s mistakes and learn not to be hurt by her mother’s depression but to strengthen herself from it. Ruth’s maturity is very noticeable by the people living around her, even her own mother would brag to her friend about Ruth, saying how, “She’s so grown up”(43). Even though her maturity hurt her in the long run when Ruth ended up with the wrong group of friends, She ended up learning from her mistake and made better decisions. Even another example from a child living from a broken home is Béatrice. Her parents are not loving and caring to her but instead they are portrayed as respectable adult figures to her. Béatrice is happy to start a real relationship with her dad, and in order to build that relationship to the next level she cooks and studies cuisine for her dad. This may not create an extremely strong relationship between the two of them, but it still attaches emotions in their detached lives.
Ruth’s dependence is a major motif to Ruth’s maturity. Mrs. Peavy advices to Ruth “to look out for yourself”(49), Ruth demonstrates this by taking care of herself when her parents would live her alone for a period of time. This is also seen when Ruth goes to the French school and she struggles to make friends but yet stays strong and mature and in the end makes great friends such as Béatrice. Ruth is more mature than all the characters around her.
Ruth’s dependence is a major motif to Ruth’s maturity. Mrs. Peavy advices to Ruth “to look out for yourself”(49), Ruth demonstrates this by taking care of herself when her parents would live her alone for a period of time. This is also seen when Ruth goes to the French school and she struggles to make friends but yet stays strong and mature and in the end makes great friends such as Béatrice. Ruth is more mature than all the characters around her.
Character!
Throughout Ruth’s childhood she had encountered many different intriguing characters. While enrolled in a private French school, Ruth establishes of a friendship with Béatrice. Béatrice's character can be described to be like crème brulée, she carries a tough outer coating yet she has very tender and sensitive qualities on the inside. In her initial relationship with Ruth, Béatrice 's outer shell dominates and she is portrayed to be a rude character but upon further analysis hard layer can be seen as a defensive mechanism, serving to protect her tender insides from harm. Ruth's early opinion of Béatrice holds a judgmental attitude, for she states, “the worst was the banker’s daughter, Béatrice, the richest girl at school”(61). However, just like crème Brulée, more Ruth interacts with her, the harder shell breaks away, revealing a change in attitude, and ultimately a new side of Béatrice.
As their friendship grew stronger, and Ruth got to experience Béatrice’s lifestyle she realizes that Béatrice also has a broken family. Béatrice struggles with detached parents and having Ruth come over for dinner reconnects Beatrice and her father. This makes both Ruth and Béatrice happy and strengthens their friendship. When Béatrice finally experiences love from her father and Ruth is able to share her happiness when she see that, “even in the dark I could hear the smile in her voice”(70).
Overall, Béatrice is an admirable character to both Ruth and the reader. This can be seen through the author’s language and description of Béatrice. The author’s depiction of Béatrice’s lifestyle is envied but not requested. The luxury that Béatrice lives in, which is impeccably described throughout the passage, is admirable but the detached family that she lives with gives a whole new aspect of Béatrice. The reader pities Béatrice for having such a distant mother, yet Ruth is able to relate to Béatrice since she also lives in a broken home.
As their friendship grew stronger, and Ruth got to experience Béatrice’s lifestyle she realizes that Béatrice also has a broken family. Béatrice struggles with detached parents and having Ruth come over for dinner reconnects Beatrice and her father. This makes both Ruth and Béatrice happy and strengthens their friendship. When Béatrice finally experiences love from her father and Ruth is able to share her happiness when she see that, “even in the dark I could hear the smile in her voice”(70).
Overall, Béatrice is an admirable character to both Ruth and the reader. This can be seen through the author’s language and description of Béatrice. The author’s depiction of Béatrice’s lifestyle is envied but not requested. The luxury that Béatrice lives in, which is impeccably described throughout the passage, is admirable but the detached family that she lives with gives a whole new aspect of Béatrice. The reader pities Béatrice for having such a distant mother, yet Ruth is able to relate to Béatrice since she also lives in a broken home.
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