Kothari’s Use of Rhetorical Devices: Exploring Identity in “If You Are What You Eat, Then What Am I?”
Fan Bu
Instructor’s Introduction
WR 111, Academic Writing for English Language Learners, is a course taken primarily by international students in their first semester at BU. Students refine the building blocks of academic writing–summary, analysis, and argument–through a thematic focus satisfying our Hub requirement, “The Individual in Community.” While our readings, discussions, and outside-of-class walking tours and other activities require students to engage critically with many aspects of identity, the class itself, and the larger BU environment, also serves as an example of a diverse and inclusive community which we analyze and attempt to parse. Fan’s essay is an excellent example of one of our mid-semester assignments, in which students choose any of the course readings to analyze in greater depth. When discussing Geeta Kothari’s perspective on Indian and American food–and the larger issues of culture, relationships, and communication that this prompts–Fan effectively balances summary and analysis comfortably; chooses and efficiently weaves in quotes from the text; and demonstrates her facility as a reader working on multiple levels to unpack a text.
Christina Michaud
From the Writer
The exploration of food as a medium for cultural identity has always intrigued me, especially as it reflects the complex relationship between individuals and society. In Geeta Kothari’s essay, “If You Are What You Eat, Then What Am I?” food becomes a powerful lens through which Kothari navigates the tension between her Indian heritage and American culture. Food, in this context, is not just sustenance but a symbol of emotion, comfort, and identity. It reflects both individualism and cultural belonging, making it a perfect subject for examining the challenges of assimilation.
Writing this essay was a great opportunity to explore how food transcends its physical role, highlighting the broader implications of cultural displacement and identity struggles. The challenge in composing this analysis was unpacking the emotional weight Kothari places on food, but by focusing on her personal experience as a way to engage with larger cultural themes, I was able to address the complexities of dual identities in a multicultural society.
Kothari’s Use of Rhetorical Devices: Exploring Identity in “If You Are What You Eat, Then What Am I?”
“If You Are What You Eat, Then What Am I?” by Geeta Kothari explores the incompatibility of identity through the lens of food and culture. As the daughter of Indian immigrants, Kothari reflects on her personal experiences growing up in the U.S. and struggling to reconcile her Indian customs with American norms, particularly regarding food. Kothari employs different writing techniques to provide a vivid image of her immigrant experience in the U.S., showing an interesting story of a girl trying to find a balance between dual cultures. Through her dedicated illustration of personal experience, Kothari employs several rhetorical techniques to further display the struggles of Indian immigrants, guiding readers toward an exploration of identity. Using symbolism, metaphor, and contrast, she conveys the broader implications of food and identity in the multicultural environment of Indian immigrants.
Food, as the central symbol and medium of cultural heritage—both Indian and American—plays an important role in Kothari’s personal conflict and eventual reconciliation. Kothari mentions that “although she has never been able to tolerate the smell of fish, my mother buys the tuna, hoping to satisfy my longing for American food” (Kothari, 462). Tuna represents the American food that Kothari’s mother cannot fully adopt, as she is more immersed in Indian culture. However, as Kothari is exposed to both cultures and struggles with assimilation, she begins to believe that tuna, as American food, is what she needs—a way to prove that she can successfully fit into American culture. Food also symbolizes the sense of “otherness” Kothari experiences, with Indian meals marking her as different in a predominantly Western setting. Food, as a carrier of culture, conveys cultural identity. Kothari contrasts traditional Indian cuisine with unfamiliar American foods, highlighting her sense of being caught between two cultural dimensions. Her parents’ attempts to maintain their cultural identity often clash with Kothari’s desire to assimilation, and it causes Kothari to feel like “They are supposed to help us negotiate the world outside, teach us the signs, the clues to proper behavior: what to eat and how to eat it” (Kothari, 462). Kothari uses food to highlight the differences and nonconformity that separate her and her parents from the world outside, providing further evidence of her internal conflict in negotiating and embracing multiple identities.
Several metaphors are used throughout the essay to imply the character’s internal emotions, offering readers vivid descriptions that better convey the lives of Indian immigrants. Kothari begins to show negative feelings toward Indian food and a strong appreciation for American food, such as tuna. Her mother’s reaction is captured acutely: “She is silent, holding her face away from the can while peering into it like a half-blind bird” (Kothari, 462). The phrase “a half-blind bird” implies her mother’s difficulties in fully accepting American culture, as well as Kothari’s inability to fully belong to either of the two cultures she straddles. Like the bird, which lacks full vision, Kothari’s inability to fit into both cultures resonates with other immigrants, expressing how challenging it is for them to find their place in a multicultural world. Later, when Kothari and her family visited relatives in India and encountered the original dietary habits of Indians, she felt disconnected and struggled to understand. Her mother says, “back home is a safe place, a silk cocoon frozen in time where we are sheltered by family and friends” (Kothari, 463). The author uses the metaphor of a silk cocoon frozen in time to represent a sense of protection and comfort that home provides, much like a cocoon shelters a caterpillar from the hardships of the outside world. Kothari imagines an ideal world where time stands still, and she is shielded from the challenges of cultural displacement or identity struggles. However, the fact that it is impossible to escape the reality of change and growth is symbolized by the cocoon, which must eventually release the caterpillar to face the world. This leaves a poignant impression on the reader. Additionally, the metaphor of “the maze of city streets for which they have no map” (Kothari, 463) suggests that there is no clear guidance for immigrants to find their identity, highlighting the confusion and lack of direction in navigating dual cultures.
Throughout the essay, Kothari contrasts the Indian and American dietary practices, revealing the acculturation of Indian immigrants to American life. Kothari skillfully designs the contrast between her and her husband, which offers the reader an intuitive display of the differences between Indian and American cultural heritage. When describing her husband, Kothari writes that “he has inherited blue eyes that turn gray in bad weather, light brown hair, a sharp pointy nose, and excellent teeth”. (Kothari, 465) In her view, “he eats steak when we are in separate cities, roast beef at his mother’s house, hamburgers at work”. (Kothari, 465). Kothari portrays her husband as confident and secure in his relationship with food, while she feels overwelmed by both Indian and American cuisines. Kothari uses the parallel to emphasize the fact that she is different from others, and she states, “I have inherited brown eyes, black hair, a long nose with a crooked bridge, and soft teeth with thin enamel”. (Kothari, 465) While she appears to highlight their physical differences, what she is really expressing is the inherited eating habits tied to their different nationalities. Kothari points out, “I have to learn that haldi = turmeric, methi = fenugreek. What to make of fenugreek, I do not know” As an Indian immigrant, Kothari is unfamiliar with both Indian and American dietary habits, which contributes to her confusion and struggle with her identity. This dual unfamiliarity leaves her feeling displaced in both cultures, and the complexities of finding her own identity through food. Overall, this contrast serves to deepen the reader’s understanding of the complexities of cultural identity and the significance of food as more than mere sustenance but as a marker of cultural identity, offering a powerful interpretation of food in the context of cultural conflicts.
Throughout the essay, Kothari not only paints a vivid picture of the struggles that thousands of Indian immigrants experience but also employs a variety of rhetorical tools to deepen the audience’s understanding. The simplicity of her language allows her to engage deeply with the immigrant experience, using food as a starting point. Kothari’s exploration begins with food but extends beyond it to a deeper contemplation of identity, belonging, and the immigrant experience. Ultimately, Kothari captures the inseparable relationship between food and culture, where food serves both as a source of connection and alienation, resonating with thousands of immigrants, prompting readers to reconsider the complexities of immigration and the lasting impact of cultural differences.
Work Cited
Kothari, Geeta. “If You Are What You Eat, Then What Am I?” The Norton Sampler, edited by Thomas Cooley, 2018, pp. 462-466.
Fan Bu is a freshman majoring in Sociology at Boston University. With a strong interest in understanding the complexities of identity, culture, and the relationship between individuals and society, Fan approaches these themes through both academic study and personal reflection. Fan would like to thank Professor Christina Michaud for her support and guidance, as well as the Boston University Writing Program for providing an engaging environment that supports creativity and meaningful expression.