| Food is symbolic in all cultures. Different foods embody their own symbolic meanings and plays certain roles in every society. Furthermore, the food we choose to eat everyday constitutes who we are as individuals ; it is a reflection of our beliefs, religions, personal tastes, incomes, residence, and people whom we have relationships with and ,most importantly, our experiences. When asked to choose their last meal on earth, prisoners on a death row a few days from execution tend to go for the food from their childhood. In this case, food assumes another symbolic meaning. We all have certain foods that take us instantly to the distant past, so whenever we savor every bite of these foods we travel beyond time and space living the moments of the past engraved in our minds. The food that I like the most is boiled crab which is inextricably linked with one of my past experiences as a child. I do not remember exactly how old I was back then, but I presume I was around 4 to 5 years old. I was in bed with bedclothes tugged up to my nose, since I was sick to death ,shivering with cold. While other members of my family were having dinner ,chattering away in the dining room, I was all alone in dead darkness of my room. Moments later, the conversation died down and I started to feel drowsy under the medication. The minute I fell asleep, a cold hand laid on my forehead sizzling with a fever woke me up. I peaked through narrowed eyes and cuaght a glimpse of my mother and a pot of some food rested on my bed next to her. Pretty soon, the flavorful aroma filled the air. She propped my back against the bedhead and she spoonfed me some boiled crab and rice. The fist bite of the juicy boiled crab tasted nothing like I'd ever tasted before. The soft, tender texture of the crab meat gently melted away on my taste buds was indeed pleasing, Moreover, the white rice soaked in the juice oozing out of the crab was just heavenly. As ironic as it may sound, whenever I see or smell the boiled crab, it is not the taste that I instantly associate with the food. It always conjures up the image of my mother who was by my side feeding me and taking care of me when I needed her love and affection the most. Come to think of it, it tasted of my mother's gentle smile in her caring and loving eyes.
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Monday, September 27, 2010
Noh Young Sun my favorite food
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Said from Mijin to Young Sun Week3
ReplyDelete1. What I like about this piece of writing is her writing style which is very detailed, descriptive and rich in vocabulary, for example, the contradiction of spacial atmosphere between her room and living room and sensory descriptions.
2. Your main point seems to be, of course, your favorite food,' boiled crab'.
3. These particular words or lines struck me as powerful: 'The minute I fell asleep, a cold hand laid on my forehead sizzling with a fever woke me up. I peaked through narrowed eyes and cuaght a glimpse of my mother and a pot of some food rested on my bed next to her.'
I like these sentences because they are very detailed that It confused me as if I were her and also I have a pretty similar story to hers which warms me in heart.
4. There's nothing unclear to me about this writing.
5. I love all of those sentences.
Said from Kim Kyung Un to Young Sun Week3
ReplyDelete1. What I like about this piece of writing is that it is written in details. Also, the first paragraph makes it more interesting to read. Even the conclusion paragraph has a nice ending to it.
2. Your main point is that your favorite food is boiled crab which reminds you of your past memory.
3. These particular words or lines struck me as powerful-"The fist bite of the juicy boiled crab tasted nothing like I'd ever tasted before. The soft, tender texture of the crab meat gently melted away on my taste buds was indeed pleasing, Moreover, the white rice soaked in the juice oozing out of the crab was just heavenly. "
The taste of the boiled crab that you had when you were sick was very nicely described which made my mouth water.
4. none.
5. The first paragraph was well written. However, I think it would've been better if you got to your point straight. I felt the whole thing about food being symbolic in our culture was too long.
Page 41 the second essay draft
ReplyDelete200601024 Noh Young Sun
WIntro to Academic Writing(2)Wed 78
Food has symbolic meanings in all cultures. Different foods on certain occasions embody their own symbolic meanings and plays specific roles in every society. Furthermore, the food we choose to eat on a regular basis constitutes who we are as individuals ; it is a reflection of our beliefs, religions, personal tastes, incomes, residence, and people whom we have relationships with and ,most importantly, our experiences. When asked to choose their last meal on earth, prisoners on a death row a few days away from execution tend to go for the food from their childhood, rather than exotic or lavish foods . What it implies is that sometimes food acts as a powerful mechanism that evoke our past memories. We all have certain foods that take us instantly to the distant past, so whenever we savor every bite of them, we travel beyond time and space living the moments of the past engraved in our minds. The food that I like the most is boiled crab which is inextricably linked with one of my past experiences as a child.
I do not remember exactly how old I was back then, but I presume I was around four to five years old. I was in bed with bedclothes tugged up to my nose, since I was sick to death ,shivering with cold. While other members of my family were having dinner, chattering away in the kitchen-cum-dining room downstairs, I was all alone in dead darkness of my room. Moments later, the conversation died down and I started to feel drowsy under the medication. The minute I fell asleep, a cold hand laid on my forehead sizzling with a fever woke me up. I peaked through narrowed eyes and caught a glimpse of my mother and a pot of some food rested on my bed next to her. Pretty soon, the flavorful aroma filled the air. She propped my back against the bedhead and spoonfed me some boiled crab and rice. The first bite of the juicy boiled crab tasted nothing like I'd ever tasted before. The soft, tender texture of the crab meat gently melted away on my taste buds was indeed pleasing, Moreover, the white rice soaked in the juice oozing out of the crab was just heavenly.
As ironic as it may sound, whenever I see or smell the boiled crab, it is not the taste that I instantly associate with the food. It always conjures up the image of my mother who was by my side feeding me and taking care of me when I needed her love and affection the most. This food is like an old video camera that reenacts the very scene that I remember so vividly up until now. Come to think of it, the crab that I ate that day tasted of my mother's gentle smile in her caring and loving eyes.