His mother mourned the time they lost while he was at boarding school. It truly dawned on her when she was dying; she wished she could take those years back and have her son at home with the family. Many years later she said, “You should be with us for that time. I should never let you go there.” (pg 128)
Prior to his parents sending him to the boarding school the family spent a lot of time together. His mother originally felt the prestigious school would help him gain an excellent education he could use to have a successful future. I believe his mother regretted sending her only son to boarding school because he was no longer apart of their daily family rituals. He was unable to participate in watching his mother prepare elaborate dinners and the custom of sitting as a family eating dinner together. Even after she became sick and was unable to eat food at the dinner table, she was always present at dinner to unite them as a family.
I believe she also regretted the desire to change his character by sending him away from the family and his culture. She originally felt by sending him to a boarding school he would be pushed to excel. She believed that if her son were participating in the daily housework, it would weaken his strength. She viewed her life as unimportant and wanted Chang-rae to use education as a source of expanding his horizons. Although years later ironically her son assumes her place in the kitchen and realizes how important his mother’s role is in the family. Through her daily cooking she united their family. She previously said to her young son while he watched her prepare and cook ribs “the meat needs the bone nearby; to borrow its richness”. (pg 124) I believe she used her statement as a metaphor to teach him families need to be near each other in order to learn and grow together.
I think you did a really good job on explaining your response. And I agree with you, I think that when he went away, his mother was hoping for him to get the best kind of education he could get with the resources they had but at the same time she also regretted sending him away because he was her only son and with out him they werent a complete family together and by him not being there to see all her recipes and things like that, I just think you did a really good job and you knew what you were talking about.
ReplyDeleteI believe in most of the cultures, mothers are the one who are very close to their children. It was really difficult for the author’s mother to sacrifice the companionship of his only son. She must have missed her son being around her while cooking and while having family dinner together. Eating dinner together has always been very important in the author’s family or at least for his mother. The only person missing in the family was the author, but his mother was also more concerned about his future as well and she wants him to get education form good school for that she has to sacrifice being around him.
ReplyDeleteFamily is very important and I could think it is more important when you come from a different country. I agree the mother and her food brought the family together so when Chang-rae was gone, she did not get her family together for a long time. Until she was ill and family came together and Chang-rae came home and cooked for everyone. It is great that you found a metaphor in one of her sayings for food.
ReplyDeleteI could really feel the story as you wrote your response. You did a great job explaining the story. It was a touching story. Mom did want what was best for her son and thought by sending him to a boarding school would excel his horizons and it's funny that in the long run he took over her place in the kitchen. Up until the end of her life she came together as the family did for meals even when she couldn't eat. This shows her love and loyalty to her family.
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