Transcript
The personal narrative “I Food Love In a Hopeless Man” is about how empty an individual is inside, but can still appear to be full. The author met a lady named Helen who suffers from dementia which interrupts her speech. The author is involved with her partner named Andy. Helen is Andy’s mother, who both happen to be hoarders. There would be mounds of old dishes with moldy scrambled eggs and fowl smelling scents throughout the entire house. Upon cleaning the house Andy and the author find pictures, diaries, journals, etc. that all belonged to Andy. Every item saved by Helen described what type of person she really was, she valued these items to be sentimental. Upon moving Helen into another facility, the author discovers a shocking surprise about Andy. Andy picked up the same habit as his mother, hoarding. He would move clothes and furniture along his place and classify it as clearing. The author states, “I wonder how I can share my life with Andy when I cannot share space with him.” This statement shows how empty individuals can feel when really, they’re making seem as if they’re full.
The personal narrative ‘One look at me and people think I’m privileged”, is based upon how people believe that this woman is privileged and rich person when truly, she’s not. The author, explains how she’s well-spoken and she dresses professionally everywhere she goes. The author grew up in extreme poverty. She lived in a dilapidated house with no running water, no heat, very little food, no medical or dental care. Her mother wouldn’t let her friends over because her mother was ashamed of the living conditions they were in. Maddy explains how everyone around her has a safety net of cash to fall back on except for her. Everyone uses the word unconditional when it comes to their parents. Maddy explains that she’s trying her hardest and wishes that people, would stop assuming she’s privileged and that she could wear a label explaining who she really is.
Between the two personal narratives, I think that, “One look at me and people think I’m privileged,” had more of a deeper meaning to me. This personal narrative is basically saying not to judge a book by its cover. The author wants people to stop assuming that she’s privileged and see her for who she truly is. She articulates in the personal narrative, that she wishes she could wear a label that explains who she really is. Explaining that she’s not like everyone else who has a safety net of cash to fall back on or lives a luxurious lifestyle. She wants to be seen as someone who came from poverty and is trying her best to make it.
