The Intimacy of Meals

            Chapter two discusses the importance of meals in literature, shedding a new light on the reasoning behind an author’s choice to include meal scenes in their writing. Before reading about these acts of communion, I had never given much thought to the inherit meaning of a meal within the context of a story. However, I now see that there is a great deal of importance and sensitivity with accepting a dinner invitation. Meals are a demonstration of the interactions between characters. The social nature and atmosphere of a meal can act as a premonition to future events in the story, or a reflection of events that have already taken place. For example, if two characters share a dark secret that in unknown to the rest of those at the meal, they may behave in a more nervous and suspicious manner.

            In Edith Wharton’s novel “Ethan Frome”, the protagonist Ethan has married a woman out of compassion and sympathy. He is, in fact, truly in love with their housekeeper Mattie. When Ethan’s wife leaves for medical purposes, he is left alone with Mattie for a night. Their meal that night is a very emotional experience that is laced with symbolisms of their feelings for one another. During their dinner alone, the household cat breaks a pickle dish, which happens to be the favorite wedding gift of Ethan’s wife. This is a symbol of the way that Mattie may break up Ethan’s marriage.

            Meals have a certain romantic nature attached to them. It is common for a meal scene to occur in a romance novel, especially on a first date. Accepting a meal invitation with another individual signifies a deep liking for said individual. Although we may not realize it, we take our eating habits very seriously and only choose to share those habits with a select few. Observing two people engaged in a meal can offer a lot of insight regarding their feelings for one another. Quite frequently in romance novels, authors depict scenes of couples dressed in fanciful outfits, sipping from wine glasses, and smiling together as they tell hearty jokes. This act of communion gives the reader a positive outlook on the future of a relationship, due to the upbeat nature of the meal.

            Food and meals can also act as a means for displaying wealth. For example, in Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”, the Cratchit’s Christmas dinner is an unusual treat for the underprivileged family. The Cratchit’s choice to spend their hard earned money on food for an extravagant Christmas feast displays the intimacy shared during meals. Such a meal provided an escape for the Cratchit’s from everyday struggles and finances. The same could be said for lunch breaks and family dinners after a long day of work. A meal is regarded as a time of freedom from responsibilities with no expectations except for enjoyment of the food. Although a meal scene can appear simple within the context of a story, there is always a deeper meaning associated with such an important act of communion.