Riffing on Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, Part 1: Little Baby Lamb
Jonathan Safran Foer at Vromans in Pasadena
At his Vroman’s Bookstore reading, Jonathan Safran Foer posited that children do not come by the eating of meat naturally. That naturally they would have an aversion to it. That we adults must lead children to meat, and ingrain the habit in them – by serving as role model meat eaters, and by serving up animal body parts as we acculturate the little darlings in the art of eating. In the case of my niece Tess at least, Foer was right on target. Her childhood instinct was to avoid eating anything she might encounter at the zoo.
Foer’s theory resonated with me because I remembered Tess’ childhood decision to follow the vegetarian path. While Foer debated whether or not he should raise his boy child as a vegetarian (the question behind his decision to research and write Eating Animals), my sister, brother-in-law and I were chided and derided by this precocious, inde girl child if we even looked in the direction of a pork tenderloin.
The last time I ate meat with Tess, she was three. I introduced her to corn dogs. It is a delightful memory of mine. We were at a shopping mall, and she stood staring quizzically at the hotdog on a stick in her hand while I lathered it, and the one I held in mine, with mustard. Then I took a bite off the top of mine, and she followed suit with hers. She liked that corn dog, and I was happy in the knowledge that I had introduced my little niece to yet another of the junk food delicacies that her mother, my sister, would never in a blue moon bring to her attention.
My sister was not a vegetarian but what I called a health food fanatic. She only used “sea” salt. And was interminably sprinkling something called Tamari on every dish she served to me. Turkey sandwiches could not be layered with the typical lettuce and tomato, but were stuffed with weed-like “sprouts.” Dessert was non-existent. The responsibility thus fell on me to introduce Tess to hamburgers, candy, corn dogs, of course, ice-cream for breakfast, cookie baking and so forth. How relieved was I one day that Tess’ back was turned to the kind store proprietor who had just handed her a green sucker, when she looked from it up to me and mouthed, “What is this?” I certainly did not want anyone in the world thinking that I was depriving my niece of important cultural children’s cuisine.
Like most children, Tess loved animals. But her love ran even deeper than the typical child. Her love was a passion. She pretended she was various animals more often than she played the role of little girl. A trip to the zoo beat out Disneyland any day. Her bedroom housed an encyclopedic set of animal books long before she had any interest in dolls or clothes.
At an elegant dinner party she attended with my sister one night, a dish with something unrecognizable was placed in front of her. She turned to her mother and inquired what it was. My sister, anticipating Tess’ reaction to the truth of what lay on that platinum-rimmed plate, responded in a hushed but firm voice, “It’s lamb, Tess, just eat it.”
“Lamb?” Tess whispered back.
“Yes, Tessie, just eat.”
“Lamb?!” Tess’ voice took on a louder and more frantic air. Her mother closed her eyes. “We’re eating little baby lamb?!”
I can only imagine the weak smiles and clearing of throats that swirled round the table at that moment. And my sister’s lowered lids accompanying her blush.
The next day Tess announced that she was a vegetarian.
to be continued
April 13, 2010
Tags: Eating Animals, Jonathan Safran Foer, vegetarian, Vroman's Posted in: Book Riffs
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.