If you could only eat one food, what would it be?
Throughout reading A Lesson Before Dying there's one thing we had seen repeatedly: The importance of food. And I think this was quite deliberate in showing us throughout the whole reading, that in the end Jefferson would die.
Food is, as some may argue, what makes us human. To my knowledge, there exists no animal that combines flavors and textures to the extent we do. Sure many animals like sweet things, but that's a hardwired reward mechanism cultivated over millennia which benefited us with food that wasn't poisonous and the plants that produced those sweet foods with spread of their seeds. And so it's also is a very human thing that the one wish we grant to people on death row is a choice in their last meal. Actually now that I think about it, food holds a strong religious meaning as well, with bread representing his body and wine his blood, but that's besides the point.
Which is, when we first see Jefferson, he's tormented by his layers words, and so aims to denounce his own humanity by playing the role his lawyer set him out to be: a hog. He refuses Emma's home cooking, most likely to distance her from him, and him form her, as to not make each suffer as much as they would. Or maybe it was to try to help him keep up his unhuman facade, since he knew the suffering it would bring to him in realizing he won't be able to eat Sunday dinners with his family.
However, we see him grow up as he eats gumbo, and aims to solace his inevitable death with a gallon of ice cream, something which marks what about his is still childish, but at least not animalistic. And his final becoming of a man is when he stamps out the childish craving for a tub of ice cream, and instead opts for a home cooked meal and a small bowl of ice cream.
But, I think one of the other things which is represented in Jeffersons attitude towards food, are the stages towards accepting death. His denial towards any food, while to make a point, also points towards his denial that these days are indeed his last. Slowly but surely we see progression as he wants a tub of ice cream, which while wasteful shows that he knows he's going to die, but still does not accept it. And then finally with his last full meal, it marks the acceptance of his death, his humanity, and his manly hood, as he enjoys a meal, not a tub of ice cream, as he enjoys a meal made by his grandmother, showing his acceptance of the community that surrounds him, and thus also his humanity and manhood.
Food is, as some may argue, what makes us human. To my knowledge, there exists no animal that combines flavors and textures to the extent we do. Sure many animals like sweet things, but that's a hardwired reward mechanism cultivated over millennia which benefited us with food that wasn't poisonous and the plants that produced those sweet foods with spread of their seeds. And so it's also is a very human thing that the one wish we grant to people on death row is a choice in their last meal. Actually now that I think about it, food holds a strong religious meaning as well, with bread representing his body and wine his blood, but that's besides the point.
Which is, when we first see Jefferson, he's tormented by his layers words, and so aims to denounce his own humanity by playing the role his lawyer set him out to be: a hog. He refuses Emma's home cooking, most likely to distance her from him, and him form her, as to not make each suffer as much as they would. Or maybe it was to try to help him keep up his unhuman facade, since he knew the suffering it would bring to him in realizing he won't be able to eat Sunday dinners with his family.
However, we see him grow up as he eats gumbo, and aims to solace his inevitable death with a gallon of ice cream, something which marks what about his is still childish, but at least not animalistic. And his final becoming of a man is when he stamps out the childish craving for a tub of ice cream, and instead opts for a home cooked meal and a small bowl of ice cream.
But, I think one of the other things which is represented in Jeffersons attitude towards food, are the stages towards accepting death. His denial towards any food, while to make a point, also points towards his denial that these days are indeed his last. Slowly but surely we see progression as he wants a tub of ice cream, which while wasteful shows that he knows he's going to die, but still does not accept it. And then finally with his last full meal, it marks the acceptance of his death, his humanity, and his manly hood, as he enjoys a meal, not a tub of ice cream, as he enjoys a meal made by his grandmother, showing his acceptance of the community that surrounds him, and thus also his humanity and manhood.
To me, one of the most important moments in Jefferson's development is when he tells Grant to thank the children for sending him the pecans. In that moment, Jefferson is being honest and unguarded, even stuttering he makes the request. Jefferson accepts a gift that comes from the outside world, and sends back out thanks, making him once again connected to the broader community instead of isolated.
ReplyDeleteGood post! Food is definitely a key aspect in the book. In the beginning, Jefferson asks for corn because that is what hogs eat. In class, we talked about how Jefferson was unsuccessful in acting as a hog because hogs will eat anything. So out right refusal of food isn't a correct interpretation. I also liked your analogy between the food and acceptance of death/maturity.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting post! The concept of food is essential in any human society, but even more so when you consider the impact of a last meal (unrelated: there's a really funny CollegeHumor sketch about a last meal). It is especially interesting in this book because, as you pointed out, you can see the change in Jefferson through the change in his requested last meal. There is also the impact of the children bringing food to school to give to Jefferson and how the food represents how they care about him.
ReplyDelete