| Chapter 1: | Eating Away at the Past and the Present |
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Chapter 1
Eating Away at the Past
and the Present
ASSIMILATION AND ALIENATION IN
OUR HOUSE IN THE LAST WORLD
AND TYPICAL AMERICAN
Food went into Alejo’s mouth and became rivers of digestion inside so that his breathing grew heavy, his eyes rolled and he could hardly move. Food from the hotel and from stores: fried, broiled, cold, sizzling, into the stomach and out again.
— Hijuelos134
He swallowed manfully, and as the man behind the counter gave him an alarmed look—not here, please, not here—Ralph made his way onto the street, his stomach contracting, relaxing, contracting.
— American 45