POV
What point of view is the story told from?
Name one theme found in "Coming Home Again."
possible answers: meaning of family, connection between food and love, cultural importance, sadness/loneliness, grief and loss, love, nostalgia and memories, regret.
Who are the main characters?
the mother and son
How is imagery used throughout the story?
Imagery is used to describe the food. (taste, texture, scent, etc.) Example: "I opened a container of radish kimchi and suddenly the room bloomed with its odor, and I revelled in the very peculiar sensation (which perhaps only true kimchi lovers know) of simultaneously drooling and gagging as I breathed it all in. pg 341."
What is the family's ethnicity?
Who's point of view is the story told from?
Chang Rae Lee: the son
What is food a symbol of in the story?
How many siblings does Chang Rae Lee have?
He has one sister.
Where does Chang Rae Lee go to boarding school at?
Exeter. New Hampshire
What illness does the mother have?
stomach cancer
Is the narrator a protagonist or antagonist?
protagonist
What is the symbolism of the kitchen table?
The kitchen table symbolizes normalcy. Despite the mother being sick, the family gathers together at the kitchen table to eat together like they used to.
(T or F) The father cooks for the family after the mother passes.
False.
Explanation: After the mother passes, the father and son are the only two left living in the house. The son makes meals for him.
(T or F) The bedroom is the main setting in the house.
False.
Explanation: The kitchen is the main setting in the house.
What sport did the mother participate in?
Womens Basketball
Is the narrator reliable/trustworthy?
No. We only know the thoughts and feelings from one character's perspective.
How does the overall theme of Life and Death contribute to the meaning of the story?
With the narrator's mother passing, readers feel an emotional connection with the family. Life and Death is represented in the story because it sends readers a message to value the time that they have with loved ones, as you never know how much time you have left. The passing of the mother and her battle with cancer teaches the readers to cherish their time.
What role did Mrs. Churchill play in Lee's Coming Home Again?
She taught the mother how to cook her most trusted recipes.
(T or F) The family lives in Syracuse.
True.
Explanation: "One day, after she died, my father told me what happened on the long drive home to Syracuse."
Why does the mother regret sending her son to Exeter?
She was not aware she was dying.
Why does the author use this point of view to tell the story?
It helps readers understand the son's feelings towards his mother, cooking, and the Korean culture from a more personal/emotional perspective.
Why is the trip to the playground/basketball court symbolic?
The narrator wants to learn to play basketball and takes a trip to the playground with his family. He expects his dad to teach him to play but the mother ends up surprising him with her skills. The mother is an example of someone who is subject to gender stereotypes.
Who is Zack?
The first person that Chang Rae meets at boarding school. He chooses to go to a picnic with him instead of eating with his parents.
(T or F). The author uses flash forwards as an important tool of imagery.
False.
Explanation: The author uses flashbacks.
What is the irony in the mother's illness?
She loves to cook and eat and gets a type of cancer that makes her unable to eat.