One of the main themes of this book, is roots. Both of these quotes not only perfectly connects with the main theme roots but also makes it easier for the readers to understand. The first quote talks about how the author listened and learned about other people’s stories through their food. It is one of the ways the author was able to learn about different cultures which was through their foods that are significant to every culture which takes it down to one of the bases of our own identity. Another thing is that not only food but also the poetry a form of art similar to food that helps them stay connected with their roots. Moreover, which is similar to food that keeps each and every individual connected to their own roots in life. The first quote sort off connects us to the second one where the author read cookbooks to stay connected to his own culture which emphasizes the idea of food leading into connection of roots. And roots being the main foundation of our life it is something that should not be forgotten in my perspective because it does answer a lot of questions of who we are as people. Furthermore, the author reads the cookbooks to expand his own knowledge as well as lead him to interest in wanting to learn about other people’s cultures. The author wanted to learn about other’s people roots which was paved through the poetry and talks about food. 

The quote “In common knowledge, we massively underestimate the importance of this one crop to the history of race, food, and power.” (Twitty, Pg142) basically summons the whole beginning of slavery and racial discrimination. In simple terms one crop that each of the civilization had and was able to trade with it to other civilizations completely changed the format of the world. It started with the way of exchanging goods for other goods to goods for human beings which came from the need of power and control which is through having this wealth obtained from this crop. For example, cotton and silk that was exported by India before British colonization seeing that and wealth attached to that Britishers decided to come into the India to do business but ended up taking over the world sub-continent. Similar to the history of slavery where people from Africa were enslaved to come to the U.S. to work on the farms for the cotton which became a even more booming business from the inventions such as the cotton gin etc.…. This quote basically summons up one of the main factors of slavery cotton which not only broke families apart but also continued onto the path of dehumanization. It perfectly puts the whole idea of this class/trip altogether with the idea of the roots/origin the goes into the history of the nation. Furthermore, the part of the history where some parts are left out such as the crop which is cotton the destruction it made onto the human society due to the greed of power, food, and race. The power from the wealth, food which came with the farms besides the cotton, and racism which is race superiority. In all, this one crop cotton really changed the whole world like in other places where led onto to the idea of conquering other nations for more power, wealth, and food. A crop that is so beautiful yet so dangerous. 

 

The other side of the wall has the pictures of the artist’s childhood as well as here’s family that takes it back way back. There is one picture that at the bottom of her mother which I think really is cool that it was kept because if you look at it shows how times have changed. It shows the difference in generations where at first a picture was difficult to take vs. nowadays it is so easy. Furthermore, the picture of her mother really struck out to me for one she looks similar to her mother and second is the fact that being able to have a picture taken is expensive in those days. One thing that picture shows is that women where not allowed given the liberty to act freely because the pose of her mother is so straightforward and she is not even smiling. The smiling part is sort of misleading due to its’ correlation to personality where some people are shy but than it also shows that women were taught that you have to be shy and be gentler. It connects with history of her descendants where her mother was Latina and father was African American hence the birth of her ethnicity. Moreover, it takes her to down to her roots of who she is for example, the reason for her exotic features, hair, values, and much more. Other pictures were of her and her sister which shows the deep connection between both of them with the resemblance to each other. The color of that wall was lighter which also made me stop and look deeply in order to analyze it more. Furthermore, it did send out a message to me about family and the connection to one’s roots. It made me think of pictures of my family like parents when they were young and my resemblance to them. It made me want to go back to connect to my roots. 

Both of the artifacts connect to the major topic of this class which is history. Because without these pictures there would pieces left behind, forgotten, and misinterpreted about major events. Pictures are way of emphasizing the fact of rechecking within ourselves, roots, tradition, ethnicity, etc.… History is the past the main key that drives this world to be in a proper form in order to be successful for example or not make the same mistake once again. The book that we are reading in class which is The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty the author talks about food as a gateway to connecting to his roots in the book he references to museum in Alabama which has all pictures/tributes to successful white men but not the African Americans or the Native Americans. It is missing part of the story that needs to be known a lot more because they are part of the story too. Similar to this, is the picture of the artist’s mother that made her understand her descendant with the resemblances to the culture and to embrace it also the fact that her mother belonged to a high social status due to being able to have a pictured taken. Furthermore, the pictures on the dark blue wall shows the fact that all of the women are part of the history too they need to be out into the public. I feel like without pictures we would not be able to make it this far in life because pictures serve as proof of the bad and good history that all times need to reiterate. It gives all of us a reminder of the injustice on minorities, deaths, wars, events etc.… that do not need to happen once again. Also, I feel like pictures are significant because they not only take you back to your childhood but also the happy, sad, and many more memories which are needed for us to re-evaluate ourselves. Plus, a picture can either strengthen or weaken a person depending on how it is interpreted because sometimes it can fire someone up or calm someone down. Pictures depending on each individual’s interpretation it can completely change a person’s perception of life.