Analyse af 'Rice Cakes and Starbucks'

“Fine, fine,” Dan told her. “We’re used to it.” But it wasn’t true.” Is Dan’s, the main character in “Rice Cakes and Starbucks”, 2009 written by Ester Freud, response when he is asked how the family is dealing with living in Hollywood. The family has just moved to Hollywood from England, and this has been Dan’s lifelong dream. Finally, the family settles into Hollywood and Dan’s dreams has come true. But the family can’t get used to living in the Hills, and Dan really just doesn’t care. This story portrays the problems the family goes through on their visit to the Hills, and how Dan gets himself get in front of the family’s problems.

If I had to point out three main themes for this text, I would probably choose family, dreams and ambitions and jealousy. Dan lets his career come before his family. He is too focused on his career that he forgets that he has a family to take care of. The children want to go explore Los Angeles, but the father just can’t let the family ruin his big dream; (p. 11, l. 82) “Where are you going?” Dan asked, still holding Grace, hardly daring to take his eye from her in case she threw up over his shoulder. “I thought we’d come with you. We can find a Starbucks or something and wait.” Dan was appalled. “No ... really.” He wants to be a famous actor, and he just completely ignores the family’s needs. It is scary how much he just forgets about everything. In the end when Honey gets offered a contract for a huge movie he just ignores the family when the family asks what the issue is; (p. 12, l. 152) “Let me think ...” Dan swallowed. “Actually, Finola, I’ll have to get back to you about that. OK? I’ll call you back.” “What was that about?” Beth was looking at him. “Nothing.” Dan shook his head. “Nothing at all.”