Little Heathen, A Literary Analysis

Indulging in treats and good food in general brings incredible satisfaction and happiness to one’s body. Food serves as a unifying theme between Mary Oliver’s “Sister Turtle”, Kafka’s “A Hunger Artist” and Mildred Armstrong Kalish’s “Little Heathens”. Regardless of the different settings they place, “Little Heathens” and “Sister Turtle” share a love and appreciation for being able to enjoy food. Kalish’s memoir reflects on growing up during the Great Depression on a farm where she learns the importance of hard work and perseverance. The narrator in “Sister Turtle”, however, struggles to enjoy food without feeling guilt and anxiety for succumbing to her body’s cravings. In contrast, Kafka’s hunger artist completely rejects food for the simple reason that he cannot find something tasteful. Consequently, he misses out on essential pleasures that food brings, such as happiness.
The Kalish family participates in “handpicking green beans for the canning factory in Vinton” (Kalish 107), an exhausting but rewarding task. Although it requires toiling in the bean fields for hours under the hot sun, the family members do not complain because they enjoy themselves, listening to jokes and conversations (Kalish 107). In addition, they receive compensation, “twenty-five cents a bushel: a veritable fortune” (Kalish 107), which helps the family a great deal. Thanksgiving, an important event for the Kalish family, requires “preparations and planning…[that] began weeks before the event” (Kalish 40). This includes “gathering ground-cherries” and “cracking nuts” (Kalish 41). Everyone enjoys this special day; they cook for hours in the kitchen and then gather to eat good food. On Thanksgiving Day, the Kalish family truly appreciates being blessed with food and the good times they have in the kitchen regardless of the devastating effects of the Great