Kitchens of the Great Midwest

“You are the best father the world has ever seen. But I wasn’t cut out to be a mother. The work of being a mom feels like prison to me. I know this might sound horribly selfish to you, but out here in California, I found a sense of happiness that I haven’t felt since before I was pregnant. If you truly want me to be happy, you must try to understand this. I will never be happy, you must try to understand this. I will never be happy being a mother. Having a child was the biggest mistake of my life and I honestly believe that our daughter will be better off having no mother instead of a bad one.”

Cynthia Hargreaves pens a letter to her husband, Lars, delivering the news that she has opted not to return from California and has decided to initiate divorce proceedings, leaving behind her daughter, Eva. The tone of the letter is one of sorrow. Cynthia acknowledges her mistake in embracing motherhood, likening it to being incarcerated, and Stradal uses the word “work” to relate Cynthia’s feelings to the examples of demands of female emotional labor throughout the text. She expresses a belief that her departure is in the best interest of Eva, as she fears her own remorse would taint and disrupt her daughter’s childhood. This sentiment persists years later, as Cynthia, unwilling to disclose her identity, refuses to confront Eva, dreading the resurgence of the emotional wounds associated with abandonment.

“She would never read a letter in which her mother abandoned her without even saying I love you. In fact, she would never ever hear a bad word about her mother, not one—at least not from him—as long as he lived. What he would tell her instead, he hadn’t yet decided, but now was not the time to think about such things.”

Lars sets aflame the letter from Cynthia, bearing the news of her departure from the family, opting to shield Eva from the knowledge of her mother’s decision. The syntax of the final sentence places the object (“what he would tell her) before the subject and action (“he hadn’t yet decided”), mirroring Lars’s confusion about his own course of action.

“One if the thigs that Eva hated the most about being a kid was how everyone always told her that childhood was the best time of their entire lives, and don’t grow up too fast, and enjoy these carefree days while you can. In those moments, her body felt like the world’s smallest prison, and she escaped in her mind to her chili plants, resting on rock wool substrate under a growlight in a bedroom closet, as much a prisoner of USDA hardiness zone 5b as she was.”

A teenage Eva points out the ironic hypocrisy in proclaiming childhood as the best phase of life, highlighting the lack of freedom and autonomy to pursue genuine desires. Feeling confined within her own petite frame, she yearns for the independence to make her own decisions in the world. Stradal’s references to “prison” and “prisoner” draws a comparison with Cynthia’s feeling of being in the “prison” of motherhood, suggesting that lack of freedom is not an individual issue but a systemic one.

“The tallest chocolate habanero plant came to her waist, and its firm green stalks held families of glistening, gorgeous brown chiles at the end of its growing cycle. Holding them, tracing her finger around their smooth circumference, she could feel their warmth, their life, and their willingness to give.”

Eva tenderly cradles her chili plants while marveling at their beauty. In this moment, Stradal portrays the early stages of her journey toward becoming a chef, as she discerns the potential of these ingredients to infuse warmth and vitality into her culinary creations, providing both nourishment and delight to those who partake in her dishes.

“But there was also a coldness—an almost adult male menace to him—and perhaps only the thin decorum of this public setting prevented him from doing much more, much worse.”

Chad Grebeck, a boy at school, engages in relentless bullying against Eva. His actions escalate to the point where he forcefully kisses her on the lips. Stradal does not explicitly name sexual assault but instead says, “much more, much worse,” highlighting both that Eva is too young to truly imagine the threat and that much of the threat lies in the not knowing.

“Where does that leave someone who wants to have the largest pepper garden in Iowa? Did she really have to wait out seven more soul-shedding years? It was like being told you can run free one day—in June several years from now—but during every second of the intervening time, you’ll be getting run over by the world’s slowest steamroller, and every day it cracks a bone, and recracks it, and recracks it, and when you’re eighteen all you’re going to have is a body full of dust, lifted and carried into the future like a flag loose from its mast.”

Stradal employs the metaphor of a steamroller gradually passing over Eva’s bones, crushing her bit by bit. This represents emotional damage and trauma; Eva fears that by the time she reaches adulthood, she will be left empty, devoid of purpose, and utterly lost.

“The main reason she began growing increasingly hot exotic peppers was to find something with enough capsaicin to release the endorphins that became more and more inaccessible with increased heat tolerance. She wanted to feel lava blossoming in her eyes and nose and mouth again, like the first time she ate a regular habanero.”

Eva recounts how her excessive consumption of spicy chilies has desensitized her palate, depriving it of the chemicals needed to evoke the sensation of spiciness. Consequently, she endeavors to cultivate even spicier chilies to revive the intense heat on her palate. Stradal uses terms that compare Eva’s obsession with chilies to drug use, such as using scientific terms of “capsaicin” and “endorphins” and commenting on how she has become desensitized since her first use. This draws a comparison to others in the novel who are addicted to drugs and suggests that food saves Eva from another path on which trauma could have set her.

“Braque knew that she could deal with this fetus thing quickly and efficiently, and Eva, who looked up to her so much, would never have to know. A big part of her was afraid that Eva would think less of her if she found out—maybe because that some part of her now thought less of herself.”

Braque discloses her desire to serve as a role model for her young cousin, Eva. She harbors a fear that any deviation from her meticulously planned schedule to become a professional athlete might be perceived as a sign of weakness or failure by Eva. Her desire to be a role model to Eva, but not a mother, highlights her journey toward Defining Family for Oneself.

“Oh, wow. It was the best thing she had ever tasted. This was the best thing she’d ever done in her life, maybe. She smeared another handful across her tongue. It was incredible. What had she been waiting for? What had she been waiting for?”

After adhering to a disciplined and healthy diet for years as an integral part of her athletic routine, Braque indulges in sweet pepper jelly, proclaiming it as the most delightful thing she has ever tasted. The addition of “maybe” suggests her initial uncertainty which wanes as the passage continues. Stradal emphasizes Food as a Source of Identity and Community, diverging from the notion of food merely serving as a structured mechanism for athleticism, as was the case for Braque.

“She now looked older, like a woman, a woman whose hand he could take and stride into the darkness with, because she was a woman whose darkness matched his own, and they could fix each other without even trying. They wouldn’t even have to talk about it.”

Will Prager and Eva embark on a date, connecting over the shared experience of losing their mothers. Will, having suffered a more recent loss, sees Eva as a kindred spirit and seeks solace in their connection, believing she has the potential to help heal his emotional wounds. However, his increasing dependency and obsession with Eva ultimately lead to the demise of their relationship.

“No, it’s owned by Monsanto. They’re fine tomatoes, but if you want an early growth heirloom, I like Moskvich. They’re exactly the same size, same globe, same indeterminate vine, everything.”

Eva finds herself in a disagreement with Octavia, who asserts herself as the authority on tomatoes without realizing that Eva’s father had introduced her to various tomato varieties from a very young age. Eva corrects Octavia, who is taken aback, as she had believed that her tomatoes were heirloom varieties. This passage introduces the motif of women in competition.

“Octavia, who had grown up in Minnetonka around people with money and taste, who had degrees in English and sociology from Notre Dame, whose dad was a corporate lawyer and stepmother was a model turned pharmaceutical sales rep, was meant to marry a man like Robbe Kramer. She didn’t even want a better life than the one she grew up with; she didn’t need to be wealthier, just comfortable, with a husband like Robbe who valued the same lifestyle. She would be happy, she knew, being his plus-one to political fund-raisers and charming the less intelligent wives of his prospective business partners.”

Octavia becomes jealous as Robbe Kramer and Eva start dating. Octavia holds the belief that Eva is not suitable for Robbe due to her humble background, considering her an uncultured upstart. In contrast, Octavia perceives herself as the ideal match for Robbe, sharing the same social class. This paragraph highlights prejudiced and classist attitudes in the region.

“Octavia believed that morality was a learned social construct, as was responsibility, humility, and even generosity. Humans were born evil, as little sociopaths intent purely on slaking their own impulse desires, and many never learned to be good, or evolved traits like empathy or compassion, instead remaining selfish, destructive small children for life. Eva Thorvald, that unrepentant, arrogant crowd-pleaser, was the most devious of all the small children Octavia knew and, ergo, would only be corrected into a life of humility through being broken.”

Octavia’s worldview is revealed, showcasing a cynical and deterministic perspective on human nature. The focus then shifts to Eva Thorvald, whom Octavia views as a particularly unrepentant and arrogant example of human tendencies. This characterizes Octavia more than it characterizes Eva.

“Was this poverty? She’d never seen people who actually lived like this. It was almost like the apartment from the movie Trainspotting. It made her nervous, like she was holding on to the edge of an inner tube in a current, and the slightest shock might suck her down into this standard of living, with these people. Now she realized why even though poor people had the numbers, they could never start a revolution; they feared and despised the people one step below them, and for good reason.”

When Octavia pays a visit to Eva’s apartment, she is confronted by the stark poverty of their situation. Eva and her father reside in a dilapidated, cramped flat within a poorly maintained building, in stark contrast to Octavia’s own luxurious apartment. Octavia admits to feeling a sense of terror, fearing that proximity to such poverty might draw her in, and she, too, could find herself living in such dire circumstances. This foreshadows Octavia’s descent into poverty later.

“What people don’t understand about deer is that they’re vermin. They’re giant, furry cockroaches. They invade a space, reproduce like hell, and eat everything in sight.”

Jordy expresses his intense disdain for deer, likening them to pests that should be eradicated before they ravage people’s gardens and create issues. Stradal uses negative diction about something usually represented positively to characterize Jordy’s traumatized worldview.

“As he took out his knife to cut its throat, he felt like he was being watched. But from where? If it was his dad or his uncles, he would’ve heard the footsteps. Then he saw it. A little guy. With little nubby horns. Why hadn’t he seen the fawn before? It was right in its mother’s footsteps. It just stood there, looking at him, and then down at its mother. It didn’t know any better.”

Having shot a deer, Jordy witnesses the poignant scene of a mother and the nearby fawn unable to leave her side. This reflects Jordy’s own profound connection with his ailing mother, as he tirelessly cares for her, fulfilling her every desire. The presence of the dead doe serves as a foreshadowing of his mother’s impending death, mirroring Jordy’s struggle to envision a life without her, much like the helpless fawn by its mother’s side.

“Jordy felt all the fight leave his body, and all of his internal structures gave way, and it fucking sucked, but there was nothing he could do but fucking lose it right there on the cold, dirty brown linoleum floor.”

Jordy expresses the ebbing of his will to survive as he receives the news of his beloved mother’s passing. Overwhelmed with grief, he erupts into a powerful rage, lashing out at those around him before collapsing onto the floor, consumed by emotional anguish. Stradal uses the expletive, “fucking,” to convey Jordy’s struggle to express his feelings.

“Maybe, Pat thought, God felt that she was having it too easy with the blue-ribbon-winning bars year after year. Maybe he felt that she needed a challenge. And so he had sent this demonic force, in the form of a beautiful woman with these ridiculously sweet bars, to oppose her, to put things in perspective, to remind her of what was really important.”

Employing biblical language, Pat Prager directs harsh insults at what she perceives as her adversary in the county fair’s best dessert competition, Celeste. Celeste, being a younger, wealthier, and more attractive woman, stokes Pat’s envy and jealousy, leading her to label Celeste as demonic, considering her a test from God. Stradal hence employs the motif of women in competition and compares Celeste to Eve in the Old Testament.

“This was a woman whom Pat knew could sure use a little money. It was heartbreaking to look at her standing there, tired and sweaty, next to her clingy, quiet three-year-old boy who was dressed in too small yellow elastic shorts and too large ‘Big Dogs’ shirt with a stain on the front. Hardworking people won’t dress their kids like that when they have a choice.”

Pat keenly observes Susan and her three-year-old son, noting the child’s mismatched attire—snug shorts and an oversized T-shirt—a result of financial constraints preventing Susan from purchasing new clothing for him. Pat expresses empathy, recognizing that hardworking individuals like Susan don’t intentionally choose to dress their children in such a manner; rather, it is a circumstance beyond their control. Susan and her son represent the socioeconomic struggles of the region.

“Remember that story I told you about the woman in New York who was stabbed to death in public with a bunch of people watching, and nobody did anything? Remember how disgusted you were by that story? Well, that’s you right now. That’s you watching, and not doing crap about it.”

Pat addresses her friend’s assertion that it is not people’s responsibility to assist everyone in need. Pat firmly asserts a belief in a shared collective responsibility to intervene and support those experiencing suffering, violence, or poverty. This conviction appears to be deeply influenced by her Christian religious beliefs, emphasizing the moral imperative of collective compassion and assistance in the face of human adversity.

“God did not make her a vengeful person; God made her a giving person, and even in this house of people who could be so hateful and hard, her one skill, she knew, was to serve them and make them happy, the way even an unwanted tree still provides whatever shade it can.”

In this poignant reflection by Pat Prager, the intersection of her religious beliefs and altruistic nature is evident. The quote underscores Pat’s conviction that her essence, molded by a higher power, is inherently giving rather than vengeful. Describing her singular skill as the ability to serve and bring joy to others, she embraces a traditional role centered around nurturing and familial care. The metaphor of an “unwanted tree” providing shade encapsulates her selfless resilience, symbolizing her commitment to offering support despite her limitations.

“Pat had overreached; she had fallen prey to temptation, and her greed and selfishness had led to desires that had brought her to this sinful place. Her family, God was telling her, was all that mattered. Not the judgement of these people and their awful food. She suddenly felt sorry for these people, for perverting the food of their childhood, the food of their mothers and grandmothers, and rejecting its unconditional love in favor of what? Pat did not understand.”

Pat realizes that the only thing that truly matters is taking care of her family, not getting caught up in the snobbish culinary competition. This time, Stradal compares Pat to Eve in the Old Testament, suggesting that she also gave into sin and was banished from Eden. The word “judgement” recalls biblical judgement, suggesting that Pat has prioritized earthly judgement over divine judgement and is now being called back to God.

“But maybe Celeste wasn’t a Jezebel, Pat realized. Maybe she, Pat, was the Jezebel. The thoughts and hopes that led her here, to this place, defied and threatened her marriage, her family, her home. Yes, they were often ungrateful, difficult, and even unloving, but this escape, this escape she sought here in this building, had taught her a lesson. She had reached beyond her loved ones, beyond her duty as a wife and mother, and she was being punished for the unfaithful harlot she was in her heart. She was Jezebel, and she had just been thrown from the tower to the courtyard below.”

After her confrontation with the food purists and losing the culinary competition, Pat Prager experiences a sudden revelation. She comes to the realization that it wasn’t Celeste who was cruel and selfish, but rather herself, reinforcing the point that the novel goes from comparing Celeste to Eve and then Pat to Eve. Using biblical terms like “harlot” and “Jezebel,” she makes references to being a prostitute, expressing her sense of betrayal toward her true domestic, God-fearing nature.