Analyse af 'How to Cook Pasta'

Relationships between people can look and sound extremely different. Various factors can influence and ultimately decide how relationships start and stop. A person’s relationships can either impact them positively or negatively but will always impact them as a person. The nuances of these relationships, which range from familial to romantic, help give one meaning and purpose in life. A story that offers a glimpse at what it means to have a relationship with another person, and the ups and downs that are included is “How to Cook Pasta”. ”How to Cook Pasta” is a short story written by Caroline Greaser and published in 2021. The short story revolves around a woman trying to cook pasta. However, the mundane act of cooking pasta turns into a much more complex and emotional plot.

Throughout the story, the reader gets a glimpse at the relationship between a man and a woman. The woman has planned out how the conversation, or rather intervention, will go. That becomes clear in the text when it says “When he comes home, she’s going to break their little routine and meet him in the living room. She’ll meet him in the living room and look into his eyes and wait for him to break first. He will. She'll make him.” (l.41-43) It almost seems as if it is a step-by-step thought-out plan. She amplifies her anxiousness by overthinking what’s going to happen in the up-and-coming conversation. The woman in the story is experiencing strong feelings of stress and anxiety, which can both be seen through her thoughts and the state of her apartment. In the start, she comes off as the victim in the situation. An example of this is that she almost flinches at the sound of keys at the door. However, in the end, it becomes clear who is in control. As the story unfolds, the reader realizes that the story isn’t about the main character and her pasta, but rather her explicit concern for her friend. The man has mental health issues, which provoke him to write a suicide letter. Although the contents of the letter are never shared, many hints indicate a suicide note. Some of these hints include her suggesting a therapist and him saying that “it was just one bad day”. He seems very distant and not emotionally available. His absence in a big part of the story can also allude to his emotional and physical absence in the woman’s life. He is very distant and guarded at the start of the conversation. However, he seems more reluctant to accept her offer towards the end as he looks her in the eyes and doesn’t protest anymore. The two characters both need each other but can’t admit it. They feel loneliness apart, but when they are reunited a sense of togetherness is created, even in complete silence. The reader is never told their names, age, appearance, or other characteristics. The character's anonymity makes it possible, and eventually easy, to relate to oneself or others.