Chapter 21:

Summary

Cooking a Story: Clark opens this chapter by providing background on a lesser known author by the name of M. F. K. Fisher. Writing about food in various ways was her specialty. "Fisher wrote about food, it is true...But food was an open window rather than a closed door. Through it, she could see all aspects of civilization, culture, community, and family. In 1942 she wrote her most daring work, How to Cook a Wolf . That “wolf” was the Nazi menace. The war against the Third Reich required the rationing of goods and services. Fisher offered advice on how to eat well with less. She demonstrated how to support the war effort and how to take solace in the pleasure of eating, even with danger lurking." Readers are provided with a small passage from How to Cook a Wolf.

Doting on the Anecdote: The word anecdote is often mispronounced and misunderstood to be antidote. Anecdotes are not viewed as valid or solid evidence, as they are quite the opposite of the analysis of data, which are more highly valued when supporting a side during an argument. Clark explains Fisher's use of anecdotes in How to Cook a Wolf. He also tells about her tactic of using repetition between paragraphs, as "...cohesion is the effect we feel when the small parts of a work fit together. (When the large parts fit together, we call it something else: coherence.)

Ropes of Tropes: Fisher's wolf is a trope, "...which is, according to The American Heritage Dictionary, “'a figure of speech using words in nonliteral ways, such as a metaphor.”' The idea of the wolf acting as a trope evolves into "...a motif, that is, “'a recurrent thematic element in an artistic or literary work”' or “'a dominant theme or central idea.”' The trope/motif of the wolf is dominant throughout the story, which represents Nazi menace. Two small passages are provided for readers to examine how Fisher appeals to the senses while consistently reminding readers of the motif.

Recipe for Writing: Some parts of How to Cook a Wolf look like an actual recipe book, complete with measurements, ingredients, and instructions. However, the detail that Fisher delves into is commendable, showing readers an example of how to illicit the senses with original language.

Writing Lessons

1. Fisher builds her narrative around an organizing image, that of the hungry wolf. If there is a pattern of ideas or emotions in your work, it might be instructive to give the pattern a name. Advertising and marketing are filled with such images and tropes, leading to slogans such as “Where’s the beef?” But these images can be the building blocks of great literature, either in fiction or nonfiction.

2. Make sure the big parts of your work fit together, giving it coherence. During revision make sure the small parts fit together as well, using such tools as repetition and conjunctions. The movement in sentences will often lead readers from something they already know at the beginning to some new knowledge at the end.

3. You can use anecdotes in at least two ways: (a) to prepare the reader for an idea and (b) to illustrate or exemplify an idea that’s already been stated. If you present the anecdote first, the reader will wonder, why is he telling me that?, allowing you to gain a little altitude at the level of ideas. If the idea comes first, the reader will think, “I wish she would give me an example that I can see or feel.”

4. Cooking and eating are sensory experiences, so it would be a wasted opportunity if a good writer did not use language that appeals to the senses of taste and smell. So much of what I write derives from visual experience that I often forget to include the other senses. Mark your writing for any elements that might appeal to the ear, skin, nose, and mouth.

5. Study nonliterary forms, such as the recipe, to learn lessons you can apply to literature and reportage—for example, listing, sequencing, and naming.

Critique

This chapter takes a look at a lesser known author, which gives students a new perspective, as well as a new work of art to interact with that they may not have heard of before. In "Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing," openness ties in with this concept. Openness is defined as "the willingness to consider new ways of being and thinking about the world." (1) Fisher's innovative writing style provides students with a chance to be open to a new work.

How to Cook a Wolf sounds like a great supplementary text to learning about the role Nazi's played during the part