comm 1 3rd reading “Figures of Orality”

How does food become the center of power and relations between master and slaves?

          Indeed the phrase, “Food is an obsessive concern between slaveholders and slaves”, is true and much related to the idea why food is used as the center of power and relations between master and slaves. In the context, the slaves fully and precisely prepare the food which the master consumes. But in contrast, the slaves do not get enough and good food to eat that ends up in a situation where they would have to steal just to have a little something for their pallet. Clearly, it expressed that the master who have the power can easily oppressed the slaves.  Also, the slaves thoughtfully serve their masters, acting like foods that nourish them. But in return, the master is like a poisonous food, corrupting their entities with sufferings, or became a monster devouring the slaves with sexual abuses and wrong action. The relationship between them is obviously telling us that the slaves are goods for the master while the master is the other way around.

How is food associated with a mother?

         A mother is associated with food in the sense that in a normal view of the world, she is always the queen of the kitchen, serving and caring her family with good and nutritious food. And a mother is like a food, because her own body provides the milk needed to nurse and nourish her little son or daughter.