Italian American Literature and Food: A Match Made in the Kitchen A Handbook

Abstract

Food is a recurrent theme in Italian American literature and authors have used it to highlight the importance of family, women, and the community at large and to teach about Italian customs to the U.S. public. Oftentimes, for the older Italian immigrants, food triggers fond memories of the Old country, while, for the younger generations, it might cause shame that leads to clashes with the older generations. Characters use food as a tool to express power and, later, status and to communicate. Food also defines relationships, gives an identity to the Italian immigrants on foreign soil, and allows them to resist acculturation and assimilation. Oddly, not much has been written on food in Italian American literature and this dissertation is meant to fill this void in the study of ethnic literatures. The entries offer a plethora of major themes found in many Italian American texts, such as the kitchen, women, husbands, and nostalgia. The manuscript also allows for a recovery of some texts that have now fallen into oblivion and are very hard to find.