Analysis of 'A Plate of Peas'

The text revolves around what seems to be a family’s long-term feud. A mother who wants to raise her son her own way, and a grandmother who does not believe fully, in the way that the mother is trying to raise him. This is shown in an incident taking place at a restaurant: The boy orders a steak not knowing that the dish contains peas, which he is very much not fond of. When the dish arrives, he at first declines his grandmothers request to eat the peas, but when he is offered 5 dollars to finish the plate, he accepts. The mother does not want him to eat the peas and frowns, as he takes the offer.

Time has gone by, and the grandmother is out of town. The mother cooks the boy’s favourite meals, and, on the side, there are peas. The mother requests for him to eat the peas, but he declines, and in that moment the mother shoves the peas onto his plate followed by the line ‘’You ate them for money, now you can eat the for love’’.

The mother undergoes a transformation throughout the text. In the beginning, she comes off as being sort of weak ‘’ "Eat your peas," my grandmother said. "Mother," said my mother in her warning voice. "He doesn't like peas. Leave him alone... ‘’