“Recipe: Marshmallow Rice Krispy Treats” Annotation

Author: Matt Roberts

Important Vocabulary: Tanager. A small American songbird of the bunting family, the male of which typically has brightly colored plumage. Warbler. Any of a number of small insectivorous songbirds that typically have a warbling song. Glossy Ibis. Any of various chiefly tropical or subtropical wading birds (family Threskiornithidae) related to the herons but distinguished by a long slender downwardly curved bill. Barred Owls. Large gray-brown North American owl with brown eyes and a barred pattern across the chest.

Questions: What was the author’s inspiration to write this particular essay in this particular format? Answer: Hurricane Katrina.

Notable Quotes: “I am stealing from guilty pleasures to feed some dark hunger. The anti-depressants, if they worked at all, would likely become just another problem.” “Sometimes, I get up and go to the kitchen, open the refrigerator with my right hand, and stare into the clean, well-lit clutter of our dwindling groceries as if the answer to all our problems could be found there.”

Initial Reaction: The first thing that strikes me about this piece is the structure of it. Sectioned into four different and numbered paragraphs, the author seems to draw a connection to the structure of the recipe itself. Both are divided in a specific way for a specific purpose. I am also drawn to the author’s style of writing. A majority of the story he tells is detailed in a narrative, using careful descriptions of his reality and allowing the reader to give it meaning in its interpretation. I was specifically surprised by the second paragraph, as his description of attempting to feed some dark hunger is supported with examples that are meant to evoke strong emotions, and proves to be relatable and raw. The conclusion was equally as impactful, as the author himself alluded to a lack of answers and the simple fact that life often continues without a definitive ending to things.