This paper aims to discuss the representation of food in diaspora and exile in linkage to identity within the writing of Arab-American author Diana Abu Jaber's “Crescent”. Food as a cultural trope is discussed in many academic fields such as anthropology, sociology, psychology, cultural studies, and literary criticism. In this view, food is a trope that diasporan writers deploy to negotiate their existence and raise questions about their identity and displacement from the host land. Also, the use of the thematic representation of food that the Arab author, Diana Abu Jaber, includes, aids in discussing the political issues of otherness and self by representing this cultural trope. This paper aims to discuss the representation of food in diaspora and exile in linkage to identity within the writing of Arab-American author Diana Abu Jaber's “Crescent”. Moreover, it is analysed how food is a marker that aids the existence of people in exile.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Representing Exile and Diaspora
3. Representing the Self in the Diaspora
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
This paper explores the role of food as a cultural trope within the literary work "Crescent" by Arab-American author Diana Abu-Jaber, analyzing how food serves as a mechanism for negotiating identity, displacement, and existence within the context of diaspora and exile.
- The symbolic representation of food as a marker of identity for immigrants.
- How food facilitates connections to ancestral cultures and memories in the host land.
- The role of "cookbook memories" in bridging the gap between past and present.
- The struggle for self-representation and visibility for minorities in foreign societies.
- Food as a linguistic and rhetorical medium for expressing the experience of alienation and adaptation.
Excerpt from the Book
Representing the Self in the Diaspora:
Abu-Jaber's memoir The Language of Baklava, based on food preparation and how food stands as a marker of one identity and characteristic, indicates resistance and self-representation in a diasporic arena and exile. In this sense, she states that: making shish kabob always reminds the brothers of who they used to be – the heat, the spices, the preparation for cooking, and the rituals for eating were all the same as when they were children, eating at their parents' big table. But trying to kill the lamb showed them: they were no longer who they thought they were. (LB. 19)
To consume the appropriate “cultural emblems” both inside and outside of the homes, Allan Beardsworth and Theresa Keil note that ethnic foods “can retain their potency among a minority for several generations after their separation from the parent culture.” Similarly, Richard Raspa explains that cooking and eating ethnic foods “allow the performers to react their ethnic identity, maintain traditional boundaries and nurture familiar closeness.” Thus, the use of the same rituals and methods of preparing revive the memories of migrants in the host-land, and they feel as if they are home again.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter establishes the theoretical foundation, discussing food as a cornerstone of cultural studies and examining how it organizes human identities and influences the perception of the "other" in exile.
2. Representing Exile and Diaspora: This section analyzes how migrants use food and "nostalgia cookbooks" to maintain an imaginary bridge to their homeland, serving as a powerful cultural marker that provides ontological security.
3. Representing the Self in the Diaspora: This chapter focuses on how the preparation and consumption of ethnic food function as acts of resistance and self-actualization, allowing individuals to maintain their unique identities amidst the pressures of assimilation.
4. Conclusion: The final chapter synthesizes the relationship between ancestry, identity, and food, emphasizing that in the diasporic experience, eating is an essential means of becoming and a narrative tool for storytelling.
Keywords
Food, Cultural studies, Identity, Existence, Exile, Diaspora, Self, Other, Crescent, Immigration, Nostalgia, Ethnicity, Memory, Adaptation, Assimilation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how food acts as a cultural trope that Arab-American author Diana Abu-Jaber uses in her work "Crescent" to negotiate identity and displacement for characters living in exile.
What are the central thematic fields explored?
Central themes include the intersection of ethnic identity and foodways, the politics of "otherness" in a host country, the role of nostalgia in exile, and the use of cooking as a form of self-expression.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary aim is to analyze how immigrant characters utilize food to remain connected to their past while navigating their lives as minorities in the host land.
Which academic approach is applied here?
The paper employs a cultural studies perspective, incorporating literary criticism, sociological insights, and concepts from semiotics to analyze food as a language of identity.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body investigates the symbolic meaning of kitchen rituals, the deconstruction of food as an "alimentary language," and the role of ethnic cuisines in fostering pride and resistance against discrimination.
Which keywords characterize the essence of this study?
Key terms include Food, Cultural studies, Identity, Existence, Exile, Diaspora, Self, and Other, which encapsulate the analytical scope of the document.
How does Diana Abu-Jaber link different ethnic cuisines in her narrative?
The paper discusses how Abu-Jaber bridges Arab and Mexican culinary practices to demonstrate a common ground of resistance against racism and to emphasize the value of multicultural contributions.
What does the term "shadow of a memory" imply in the context of the book?
It signifies the inherent frustration of immigrants who find that the ingredients in their new home cannot perfectly replicate the taste of the homeland, meaning they are consuming a symbolic copy of their past rather than the origin itself.
In what way does the act of cooking serve as an act of existence for the characters?
Cooking provides a sense of agency and stability; for characters like Sirine, it allows them to manifest history and culture through tangible, daily actions, helping them survive the uncertainty of exile.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Adil Ouatat (Autor:in), 2023, Exilic and Diasporan Representation and the Importance of Food in "Crescent" by Diana Abu Jaber, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1355392
