A short Interpretation and Analysis of Nash Candelaria's "Familiy Thanksgiving"

Essay , 2011 , 6 Seiten , Note: 2,3

Anglistik - Literatur

In the following essay I would like to interpret and analyze the short story „Family Thanksgiving” by Nash Candelaria. Nash Candelaria was born in 1928 in Los Angeles. He is referred to as a Chicano writer although he does not consider himself one. After studying and working in the scientific field he took up a rather creative job in writing stories. Several of his stories were published in a collection in 1998, which he entitled Uncivil Rights and Other Stories, including “Family Thanksgiving”.

First of all I would like to talk about the title which gives us a broad idea of what the story is about. Family Thanksgiving can be interpreted in two ways by taking it as a whole or using the words separated from each other. When considering the words family and Thanksgiving on their own we get to the following conclusion: Family refers to the constellation the celebration is held within for the only time in the year. All other celebrations might be held within the nuclear family. When referring to Thanksgiving then we think of a holiday embedded in the American tradition, one of the most widely celebrated communal gatherings within the country. This typical celebration shows that this family is fully integrated into the American culture. When taking both words into consideration as a whole, we notice that this might be the only holiday when the whole family comes together. It might also be the most important one, for instance, because they are not getting together for the mother’s birthday, for example. It also seems that this is a rather obligatory event. This is the time when the whole family has to meet and celebrate with their mother and mother-in-law respectively. Secondly, I would like to analyze the story’s content and the literary elements used in the story. The story contains a lot of direct speech, which lets us imagine a lively family holiday with lots of talking, teasing and laughing. We can also sympathize with the atmosphere because of the use of dialogue. By using the colloquial language we get the impression of normal people coming together for a family event and talking about what is happening in their lives. It is also easier to empathize with them when the readers are aware of the complex history of the family.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• The Title: “Family Thanksgiving”
• The Story's Content and Literary Elements
• Narrative Situation
• Characters
• Mexican and American Traditions
• Cultural Identity
• Stereotypes and Responsibilities
• Thanksgiving and the Family
• Religion
• Rhetorical Figures
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This essay aims to interpret and analyze the short story “Family Thanksgiving” by Nash Candelaria, focusing on the narrative structure, character development, and cultural themes present in the text. The author examines the portrayal of a Mexican-American family celebrating Thanksgiving and the complexities of their cultural identity.

• Cultural Identity and Assimilation
• Family Dynamics and Relationships
• The Role of Tradition in Family Life
• Stereotypes and Prejudice
• The Significance of Thanksgiving

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• The essay begins with an analysis of the title "Family Thanksgiving," highlighting the dual meanings of family and the traditional American holiday, suggesting a complex interplay of cultural elements.
• The essay then examines the story's content and literary elements, focusing on the use of direct speech and dialogue, which create a lively and engaging family atmosphere. The author also explores the narrative structure, identifying both direct scenes and summaries that help the reader understand the family's history and context.
• Further, the essay analyzes the narrative situation using Stanzel's and Genette's models, identifying it as a first-person homodiegetic narration, where the narrator is a central character and the foculizer. This allows the reader to experience the story through Irene's perspective.
• The essay then introduces the main characters, highlighting Irene's perspective and relationships with her family members, particularly her mother and sister Marta.
• The author explores the presence of both Mexican and American traditions in the story, examining how the family integrates elements of both cultures in their lives. The essay delves into the symbolic significance of food and the holiday of Thanksgiving, highlighting its cultural importance.
• The essay further examines the family's cultural identity, suggesting that they belong to both Mexican and American cultures, blending elements of both. This is explored through language, traditions, and their integration into American society.
• The essay then discusses stereotypes and responsibilities, highlighting Irene's role in the family and her perspective on her siblings and their behavior. It analyzes the portrayal of the family's dynamics and their conflicting experiences.
• The essay concludes by examining the significance of Thanksgiving for the family, analyzing their motivations for gathering and the emotional impact of their shared celebration.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The main keywords and focus topics of the text include: cultural identity, assimilation, family dynamics, Thanksgiving, Mexican-American culture, stereotypes, prejudice, narrative situation, homodiegetic narration, and literary analysis.

• Hochschule: Technische Universität Dresden
• Note: 2,3
• Autor: Doreen Miersch (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2011
• Seiten: 6
• Katalognummer: V381357
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668577589
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: Interpretation, Analysis, Short Story, Nash Candelaria, Family Thanksgiving