The main goal of my Spring 2023 ILC was to explore different examples of food being used as key themes or messaging in fictional literature. I was curious to see how we are exposed to ideas of food, or food as a metaphor when we are least expecting it and therefore most susceptible to this kind of messaging. This was also an attempt to work on improving my own attention span, and decreasing my screen time as it has been irritating my eyes. While I did decide to use hypothes.is for this project, it is much more of a background tool for when I am researching the context or history of a book.
As of now I have read four books. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, The Vegetarian by Han Kang, Tender Is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica, and Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. Each one has been unique in the way it has worked food into it’s key moments, and each left me with a plethora of research ideas or personal questions for myself or the author. Something I have noticed in how veery book has had themes surrounding food and family, what it means to sit and eat a meal with your loved ones, and the way our food and eating habits are so directly influenced by our culture and upbringing.
While I had a few issues of time management in weeks three and four, I am very happy with where I am in my ILC up to this point. My biggest critique of myself is that I haven’t been including enough of my research in my WordPress posts. The reading, writing, and background research required is easily filling my ten hour requirement, and this project is leaving me feeling fulfilled and helping me return the feeling of joy back to my schoolwork.