Analytical Essay On Heartburn By Nora Ephron

722 Words2 Pages

Nora Ephron’s novel, “Heartburn”, is about a naïve cookbook writer (Rachel Samstat) who gets married to a political columnist (Mark Feldman). Soon after, Mark has an affair with an acquaintance of both, him and Rachel’s. Throughout the book, Rachel relates food with the ups and downs of her life. It is her passion. She turns to food in times of joy and in times of crisis and heartache. Throughout her whirlwind of life and marriage to Mark, food is the one consistency, and the one way that helps her explain or get through her everyday life. It surrounds her world and she and food have become one. First, Rachel explains some of her best work and says that, “I simply could not make a bad vinaigrette” (Page 12). Her love and passion for food and cooking has crossed into their marriage and what a quality person she is. “Even now, I cannot believe Mark would want to risk losing that vinaigrette. You just don’t bump into vinaigrettes that good” (Page 12). She …show more content…

“The first time I made dinner for Mark I made potatoes. The first time I made dinner for anyone I ever cared for I made potatoes. Very crisp potatoes, I must make tonight, crisp potatoes." Then she explains that mashed potatoes is like the end is near. There is nothing like mashed potatoes when you are feeling blue.” After the near destruction of her marriage, Rachel needed to turn to something that was a representation of happiness and new beginnings. “I have friends who begin with pasta and friends who begin with rice, but whenever I fall in love, I begin with potatoes” (Page 121). She compares the time and patience it takes for phenomenal potatoes to the time and patience it takes to build a really great romance and relationship. It is clear that subconsciously she thinks that eating these amazing potatoes could not only make her feel better, but also represent a new beginning again for her and

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