Las Papas

"Las Papas", by Julio Ortega was very inspiring, because it invloved a man living in the united sates, who is one day cooking dinner, particularly potatoes, and is reminded of his native Peru. As his son comes in and out of the kitchen, he recalls how he use to reject his father's cooking.I particularly found it most symbolic when the son comes back in the kitchen to check on his father's cooking and expresses his thoughts about chicken, when he quotes "chicken is boring" Food in this story symbolizes a memory and history of what his family embodies. The potatoe is the representation of his family history. The wind is also symbolic in this story because as he glances out the window, he feels agony, the wind hinting at winter which stimulates the feeling he feels. What the story was primarliy centered around was the potatoes, because it causes him to reflect on his family and how much they mean to him. They also symbolized memories that once were, but are past. This was a very touching story, because food (potatoes) in this story tied to the memories one father once had with his father, and now has learned the importance of family and as a single parent wants to provide a family like atmosphere for his son, because he had an empty void of the unfinished things he and his father didn't get to complete.