Bitter In The Mouth Sparknotes

For this week’s assignment, we were assigned to read Bitter in the Mouth by Monique Truong. An exquisite novel, many of the themes and motives relate closely To Kill a Mockingbird from earlier in the semester. Not to mention, Monique Truong’s background was captivating. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, Truong moved to Boiling Springs, North Carolina when she was seven. She spent the next four years here learning English as well as experiencing first hand racism and discrimination. On many accounts, Truong mentioned names she was called including “Jap” and “Chink.” Truong later moved to Huston, Texas, where she came to the assumption that many people are defined by their appearance.
Bitter in the Mouth captures the life of Linda Hammerick growing up in the tightly knit community
of Boiling Springs, North Carolina in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Throughout the novel, Linda has had the ability, “secret sense”, to taste words. I find this trait to be very intriguing. Some of the tastes she mentions are: canned peaches, dill, and parsnip (one of my favorite descriptions). In many cases, this strange trait is used as a way of exploring the early estrangement between Linda and her adoptive mother. One quote I found to be very interesting is “Lindamint. Stopcannedcorn it!” Along the way, Linda fostered many relationships she had during her life, the first being with her Uncle Harper. Her uncle is one of the few people that loved her at the beginning of the novel. The text said her Uncle Harper loved to dance which I thought was interesting. Another one of her relationships that was interesting was with her best friend, Kelly. Linda and Kelly exchanged letters to each other daily. Next, the novel examines an insider and outsider’s perspective of a tight knit community. As Linda leaves
Boiling Springs and then returns, she is able to shed light on these ideas of different perspectives on her rural-town. I too feel this exact same way as I go home to my rural-town after spending months in Charlotte. It makes you feel like an outsider at times, but also gives you more appreciation for your hometown. Next, the novel illustrates how families are defined and constructed. Throughout the novel, Linda is in search of who she is. Through the investigation of invented families and small-town suffrage to Linda’s childhood questions, Bitter in the Mouth has a constant searching theme. Ultimately, this novel tells the story of where Linda came from and how she got there.