Response to Chang Rae Lee’s “Coming Home Again”
I liked the story very much. Upon reading this story I immediately related to Lee because my grandmother lives at home with my mother and depends on her for many of her daily needs. When the author is speaking of his mother’s metal stand with the medication that she wheeled around, it kind of made me pause for a moment because I can imagine the ka-jug sound that he described as his mother rolled the stand across the floor. I think that many different cultures could share a lot of common threads. Sure there are going to be fundamental differences such as the cuisine and language, but at the end of it all it is not too difficult to place yourself in the author’s shoes.
The ironic thing about Lee’s mother's illness is that she has stomach cancer and can no longer enjoy to prepare and eat the food that played such a big role in her family's life. I believe that the food in the story is a symbol used to represent the mothers true love. After all the mother is seen by the children as unable to express her feelings, but it was through the food that the she was able to accomplish this. I think that the author is trying to get the reader to understand that time is precious and a little communication can go a long way. In the story there seems to be some resentment on both the authors and the mothers’ part about having sent him away to boarding school. The most heartfelt part of the story for me is when both mother and son were able to honestly share thier feeling thus providing them with the closure that they both had desired for many years.
I think that the author entitled the story “Coming Home Again” for a couple of reasons. One being in the literal sense that he was once again back home to care for his ailing mother, but I also think that there is a metaphorical meaning in that he was finally ready to go home now that he understands his mothers true feelings.
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Hi Robert I really enjoyed reading your response to "Coming Home Again" I believe everyone can relate to the story in some way or another. Me and you had very similar views on how we felt in terms with the story. I love how you said that you saw the imagery of the ka-jug sound as you read the story. Some of the things that me and you related to was the irony of the food being used as a communication tool.
ReplyDeleteHello Robert,
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed reading the story, I too was able to relate to Lee because of my grandmother. Looks like we have the same opinion on how food was represented as an expression of love. I see love being able to be expressed in different ways not just through the physical actions. Your view on the metaphorical meaning of the title "Coming Home Again" caught my attention. My view was just literal based on Lee returning home to care for his mother. When you mentioned him actually READY to come home, it made me have a broader view. It made me percieve on how he WAS prepared to return home now that both feelings were exposed, not just Lee returning home to care for his mother. Well said!
Hey Robert, I really enjoyed reading your response to "Coming Home Again." It's interesting how you can relate to this story with your grandmother living at home with your mother so you have a sense of what the author is going through. I also found that we shared the same symbol of food in our responses. You went a little deeper when you suggested Lee's mother was "unable to express her feelings, but it was through the food that the she was able to accomplish this." I did not pick up on that at first but now that you mentioned it I totally agree with you.
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