"Making Whoopi"
Honestly, I was only able to interpret this piece from a surface-level perspective. I thought that the meal and alcohol seemed as thought it was an outlet for Karen. In the moment, it relieved her anxiety in the situation and pretty much was used as the platform to introduce her desire to be with a woman. I thought it was interesting that the author's initial anxiety about her sexuality became the commonality in the situation. I honestly was somewhat confused on how to apply this reading. I couldn't tell if the author was offended by Karen's proposition or just simply taken aback and not attracted to her.
Maya Angelou:
I have always enjoyed Maya Angelou's writing. There is a certain level of comfort in reading her work. It flows smoothly, and you feel as if you can picture each situation she presents. I thought that these excerpts did a good job of portraying the conflicting roles that her heritage and skin tone play in the labels that society places on her and the pressures to be or "fit" into a certain mold. She is African, southern, black, and American. Especially when looking for a job, she is pressured to conform to a select few of the stereotypes associated with just one of these labels. The white man wants her to be the southern, black cook in the kitchen making soul food to ease his cravings. I really enjoyed the second excerpt with the battle between recipes which essentially use similar ingredients but are considered widely different by the two women based on their own backgrounds.
No comments:
Post a Comment