The Joy of Cooking

Elaine Magarrel is another author who does not have much of an affinity towards her family in her poem The Joy of Cooking. Magarrel must find some pleasure in thinking of cooking her siblings least desirable features. Her sister must be quite a loquacious person if she would want to cook her tongue. Magarrel must have had it with her sister's talking; otherwise, she would not be thinking of cooking her tongue. Magarrel writes, "and economical-it probably will grow back." I believe this statement is saying any time she can get her sister to stop talking, she finds a way to say something. Even more strange than cooking a tongue, Magarrel wants to cook her brother's heart. This is most likely because her brother is not a very loving person. She describes her brother's heart as dry and small because it can barely feed anyone. She also says that his heart should be served with sour sauce, suggesting he is a rather ill-humored person. Nonetheless, I get the sense that she and her siblings do not get along. If one think of cooking parts of his siblings, that might be a dysfunctional family.