The emphasis on efficiency, predictability, and calculability in the fast-food industry is based on the creation of a structured division of labor that requires employees to accomplish a set goal by the company. In essence, fast food restaurants have compartmentalized positions resulting in a well-established division of labor which is alongside a strict hierarchical structure of authority. This creates a bureaucratic organization where people are supposed to accomplish tasks in a particular way, follow the established rules and regulations and focus on developing their technical competence based on the needs of the position they are assigned to (Croteau and Hoynes 178).
This level of bureaucratization is further emphasized through the use of performance-based metrics wherein the efficiency and effectiveness of employees at their jobs are “scored” based on a preconceived notion by the company of the level of performance that an employee should show. This creates a level of predictability and calculability in operations since businesses can set levels of required efficiency and if an employee continually fails to meet these goals, then they are terminated to make way for a more efficient worker.
One of the best examples of this at work is the food “assembly line” that you can see in every McDonald’s outlet. Each burger they have on their menu is not created by a single person. There is a particular individual who handles the toasting of the buns, another who cooks the patty, someone who assembles the food and even an employee that does the wrapping and delivers it to the counter. The reason behind this method of operation is that it allows each employee to concentrate on a particular task which maximizes their efficiency.
The result is a more efficient means of food preparation that is predictable and calculable based on the individual performance levels of each employee in their respective position within the company. However, one interesting aspect of this method of operation is that it induces people not to think beyond the confines of their job. This results in an extreme form of rational action wherein thoughts, perspectives, and their resulting actions are based on the limits of their position. As such, it maximizes their capability to do a particular task but minimizes their overall capacity to be more adaptable.
Theory of McDonaldization
Based on the given perspective on the fast-food industry shown above, George Ritzer’s theory on the McDonaldization of American society does have a certain level of relevancy. People within the U.S. have begun to be compartmentalized into their respective roles, have started to be attached to the concept of predictable actions when it comes to purchases and experiences, and there is a certain level of control in a society based on its current dependence on being subordinated to a process or a machine.
However, there are some contending arguments to this position since it can simply be stated that efficiency, calculability, and predictability, factors that have become important aspects of American society, are simply manifestations of societal evolution due to the greater inclusion of technological processes and items into everyone’s daily lives.
As society continues to evolve alongside technology, there would inevitably be some “spillover” from one process to the other. When observing social evolution over several hundred years, man and his inventions have always been intertwined. It is only recently that technology has developed to a point that it has become so integrated into society that a blurring of the lines between technological innovation and social development has started to occur.
It is based on this perspective that when examining the work of Ritzer, it is more accurate to state that his observations merely represent the growing hybridization of man and machine. This has created distinct overlaps in how society has begun to operate and has impacted people on an individual level in how they accomplish their jobs or do their tasks while working.
For example, the use of metrics to measure performance among employees is not a new concept, but it does have a considerable similarity in how people gauge the efficiency of mechanical processes. The same can see in the greater desire for efficiency and predictability in society since these are also desired outcomes when it comes to mechanical processes and outputs. The problem with the work of Ritzer is that he laments people being defined by their apparent subordination to set roles and mechanical processes. While it is true that there is a level of subordination, what Ritzer neglects to take into consideration is that man has always been, in some way, subordinated to his tools.
Humanity has depended on them for survival and through them, the building blocks of present-day society were created. As such, the “McDonaldization” that Ritzer mentions is more of a reflection of how our tool usage has become that much more integrated into our daily lives and how, in the end, it is not that surprising given the history that humanity has had with its tools and creations. All in all, George Ritzer’s theory on the McDonaldization of American society does have a certain level of relevancy, but I do not agree with it at all.
Works Cited
Croteau, David, and William Hoynes. Experience Sociology: 2nd Edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education Create, 2015. Print.
COVID-19 pushes companies to quickly change approaches to work and puts the stability of various systems to a severe test. Businesses have to deal with the risks of disruption of continuity, sudden quantitative changes, real-time decision-making, productivity indicators, and security threats. Managers must act very quickly, addressing the immediate challenges of system resilience while laying the foundation for the future of their organizations. Many businesses have been severely affected by the spread of the coronavirus, including the restaurant business. The COVID-19 virus has led to terrible consequences not only for restaurant owners, reducing the number of visitors but also for employees, as many were laid off due to crisis circumstances.
Restaurants are one of the few industries most affected by the pandemic. Many people are used to visiting restaurants, ordering takeaway food, celebrating family, and social celebrations in public catering places. Many of them were forced to close for a while, and some for good, as this type of business ceased to be profitable and profitable. The Restaurant Association claims that in the US, the restaurant industry ended 2020 with a total sales volume of $240 billion below the pre-pandemic season (National Restaurant Association). Currently, business people who have suspended the operation of restaurants during the pandemic, but did not close it, are looking for ways to earn money, even in a crisis.
Now, even delivery services are pretty challenging to work with. People have become more careful about food choices, and therefore are wary of buying food in restaurants and cafes. Wholesale food suppliers who supplied food for restaurants have now taken up selling basic necessities to consumers. People are forced to work in any condition, whether working on the street or working without a proper permit, but the main thing is to earn money and not leave their employees without wages.
Due to the fact that a large number of restaurants have closed or suspended their work directly when people come to the restaurant itself, many waiters have been deprived of their jobs. People who have dedicated many years to serving visitors are now forced to find new jobs, which are also scarce. Moreover, many waiters do not have the unique skills or education to find a good job and be accepted for it. Fronstin and Woodbury state that about 3.3 million people from the restaurant business were laid off in the United States (Fronstin and Woodbury). Now they are forced to stay at home without pay and look for a new job that will match their skills and knowledge.
The suspension or closure of restaurants has put many people out of work. It is disappointing that even if the restaurant is re-launched after the pandemic, not everyone will get their jobs back. Kochhar and Barosso argue that in 2020 in the United States, the number of applications for unemployment insurance increased by 3 million in one week (Factank). This statistics means that an incredible number of people have suffered from unemployment, and now it will be challenging to find a new job where their skills will be needed.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, people have the choice to either close the restaurant or learn to be flexible and continue working even under challenging conditions. The state is trying to help by providing financial support to the restaurant business, but this support is mainly aimed at helping large restaurants. Volunteer companies were created, which focused their activities on providing financial assistance to small restaurants and aid in the work to attract the maximum number of visitors. According to the National Restaurant Association, 60% of Americans believe that the restaurant business will recover and reopen restaurants (Hess). Unfortunately, this is not expected in the near future, and people are still forced to work in the same model and conditions in which they work now.
In order to save their restaurant, entrepreneurs must take various steps and find solutions to the issues. For example, it is essential to optimize costs, which can be done by finding more profitable suppliers. The cost of dishes can be also reduced by finding cheaper ingredients that are used to decorate the plate. Restaurants can sell related products, for example, semi-finished products for quick cooking at home. Restaurants can also revise the menu and remove dishes from it, the cost of which is high, and the mark-up is minimal. Instead, they can add other dishes, the cost of which will be low, and the margin is high.
As for the dismissed employees can turn to their former superiors with a proposal for a new job. For example, dismissed waiters can work as deliverymen. If the entrepreneur is determined to close the restaurant, the former employee can find another job. Perhaps it will be in a related field, or maybe something completely new, where you will need to review your skills and learn something new.
In conclusion, the coronavirus has caused irreparable damage not only to businesses but also too many people’s lives. In order to restore at least a small part of the past habitual life, it takes a lot of time and patience. Currently, people need to adapt, and they need to look for new jobs and think about how profitable it is to maintain a business that does not generate income. Still, people can find a way out by being entrepreneurs who have their own restaurant or employees who once worked in restaurants but were dismissed. One way or another, people need to learn how to live in a crisis and earn a living in any conditions since it is not known how the situation with the pandemic and people’s lives will continue to develop.
Works Cited
Fronstin, Paul and Woodbury, Stephen. “How many Americans have lost jobs with employer health coverage during the pandemic?” The Commonwealth Fund, 2020. Web.
Hess, Abigail. “’I have enough money for food, not for rent’: how restaurant industry workers are navigating the pandemic.” CNBC, 2021. Web.
Kochhar, Rakesh and Barroso Amanda. “Young workers likely to be hard hit as COVID-19 strikes a blow to restaurants and other service sector jobs.” Factank, 2020. Web.
“State of the Restaurant Industry report measures virus’ impact on business.” National Restaurant Association, 2021. Web.
In this day and age, almost every person living in a big city is able to try the traditional cuisine of another culture without having to leave the town. Due to the fast development of the hospitality industry, multiple businesses such as restaurants and cafes focus on providing their customers with an exceptional experience of something new and nuanced. This is why there are so many excellent Italian, Japanese, Indian, and Chinese restaurants with dishes either resembling or fully implementing the traditional dishes of these countries in the menus.
However, there is a lack of Native American restaurants despite the fact that this culture directly correlates with the territory of the current US. It is rather unusual that a nation living on the USA territory for long before the colonists arrived is not widely represented in the hospitality industry, namely traditional restaurants. Several reasons have impacted this gap, especially the historical background, the poverty that affects the Native American community, and the different approaches to food as a whole.
Historical Background
Unlike such countries as Japan, China, Italy, and other countries with cuisine widely available in US restaurants, Native Americans have a different experience in terms of history. The culture itself suffered due to the colonization and the assimilation that the government was trying to install for an extended period of time. Sherman (2021) refers to these actions as an aim to isolate, terminate, and convert a large number of the population to traditional western ways of life. Due to the extended efforts towards westernizing Native Americans, many aspects of the culture that have been descriptive of the community became much less practiced or even remembered. Moreover, the centuries of discrimination and abuse led to the isolation of Native Americans and the dissociation with the rest of the country.
Colonialism
A primary aim of colonialism and assimilation of the existing population is the installment of other traditions and cultures in a structure with entirely different overviews and ways of life. This was the case for western colonizers interested in converting the native people into the religious, social, and political system practiced in countries actively trying to take the territories over. While food is not considered a crucial descriptor of a nation in contrast with religion, language, tradition, and other vital factors, it is one of the primary things that differs one culture from another. Since the objective was to take the traditional ways of life and replace them with new ones, food was one of the aspects that needed to change.
Instead of the unique agricultural systems and hunting widely practiced by natives, the colonizers brought their traditional farming animals (pigs, chickens, cows, etc.) and planting strategies that were foreign for the people living here (Sherman, 2021). Due to a shift in the agricultural structure of the country practiced for centuries, the traditional cuisine lost its primary source of raw materials.
Poverty
Native Americans, as mentioned before, are isolated through reservations. Moreover, it is inevitable that living on a reservation usually correlates with poverty and a lack of financial resources. Multiple people receive governmental help through food stamps and other help related to food items (Sherman, 2021). While such support is necessary for households with few opportunities in terms of investing in nutrition, food stamps are primarily designed to mitigate one’s caloric deficit.
On the other hand, the items that a person can receive through governmental help are often dense in calories yet relatively poor in terms of taste. Based on the condition that a large number of people are limited in terms of foods they can afford, it becomes increasingly hard to keep traditional ways concerning cuisine preferred by ancestors for centuries. When one cannot purchase products, grow plants, or hunt, unlike predecessors, Native American food became less popular even within the community itself.
Agricultural Modernization
As mentioned prior, Native Americans primarily consumed food that was hard to harvest and animals that were difficult to hunt and expensive to farm. According to Sherman (2021), bison, insects, and multiple medicinal plants were staples in Native American cuisine. However, the agricultural system that involves spending little resources while having the best numeric outcome does not align with the older agriculture practiced centuries ago. Harvesting organic plants and farming bison is more costly compared to the current industrial trends. This is another reason why traditional food has lost its availability throughout the country where, centuries ago, it was vital in terms of nutrition.
Isolation
While open political, social, and legal discrimination has been eradicated in the last century, multiple communities still deal with past abuse and exploitation outcomes. Native Americans have had a tragic history involving colonists, diseases, targeted extermination, abuse, and cultural assimilation aimed to mitigate traditions, languages, and historic differences contrasting with the colonists’ ways of life. Due to the fact that no current law encourages the active discrimination of these communities, a seemingly logical result would be the flourishing of native traditions forgotten during the early time periods.
However, it is vital to acknowledge the dispersion between the tribes and the rest of the countries. As mentioned before, many Native Americans live on reservations in close-knit groups. They share similar views, religious practices, languages, and other cultural aspects that determine them as communities. However, such a way of life leads to isolation and dispersion.
When a group of people is isolated and does not live in harmony with the rest of the country, it becomes increasingly harder to avoid such a moral distance and open businesses available for everybody. Due to the lack of connection, opening a traditional Native American restaurant for people not used to such foods may appear to be a doomed idea. Moreover, because of the controversy around the aspect of cultural appropriation, some non-Native American individuals may have the impression that eating the food of a community previously marginalized by their ancestors can be perceived as offensive. On the other hand, supporting such businesses would help impoverished groups of people and contribute to the popularization of Native American traditions.
Facing the Disparities
As highlighted prior, the history of the Native American population has been traumatizing for the individuals who became marginalized and violated on physical, mental, and social levels. However, the modern world allows every person to achieve specific goals despite being a minority. While this is a truthful statement, certain populations tend to be forgotten or avoided when it comes to governmental assistance. Food stamps, tax cuts, and other benefits are the only measures that authorities implement to help out a community with such a tragic past and complex present.
While financial help is useful for people living below the poverty line, there are fewer efforts towards providing the community with long-term and sustainable solutions to the current situation. There is a sense of avoidance and disassociation with Native Americans that cause an even more significant gap. Several causes may be the result of this gap, such as a lack of desire to be involved, shame, inability to have a connection with a traumatized population, etc. A lack of Native American restaurants can be one illustration of the authorities being passive towards encouraging the communities to open businesses. Facing the lack of such projects may lead to the discovery of other issues that need to be faced, which the government may deem too costly or potentially inefficient.
Conclusion
There is a lack of Native American restaurants, a fact which can be explained through several causes. First, the history of this community can be described as purposeful mitigation of all cultural descriptors correlating with traditional ways of life, including nutrition, hunting, and agriculture. The colonialism resulted in the disappearance of several important cultural aspects of this nation. Moreover, the current poverty that is prevalent in reservations does not allow Native Americans to follow the tradition of their ancestors, which leads to a change in the practice of growing food and continuing the habits of hunting and agriculture. The modern agricultural industry is different from the more sustainable and natural ways of obtaining food, which is another cause for the decrease in popularity of Native American cuisine.
Furthermore, an isolated community is more prone to failures in terms of opening businesses in the hospitality industry due to the small customer base available. There is also a psychological/political aspect of the government avoiding dealing with issues rooted in the nation because of past actions towards the destruction of Native American ways of life. All these factors create a gap in the industry regarding the small number of Native American restaurants on the market.
The main focus was on establishing a sense of balance and proportion in the space, so the idea and atmosphere of the Greek houses inspired the creation of this fish and chips shop and restaurant. The building itself reminds of a Greek house because of its simple and at the same time modern design. Geometric elements, simple and functional interiors and fresh and clean atmosphere make it easier for the visitors to enjoy the food. The environment of the restaurant is at the same time elegant and cosy, and the sustainable design tells the visitors that this restaurant is serving sustainable food.
The organic forms, vintage wood touches and smooth surfaces of the tables, chairs, walls and everything that surrounds the clients help to create a rather calm and pleasant atmosphere. As it may be seen, some elements of the shop’s decor like the metal fence and the wall were inspired by the scales of tropical fish, which supports the main food focus of the shop and restaurant. As the restaurant is conservative and unusual at the same time, it serves the traditional fish and chips dish in a completely unique way that differs from all the other, rather usual, fish and chips shops.
The welcoming atmosphere does not disturb the guests no matter what they are busy with. On the other hand, it lets people relax, think of nice things and enjoy the calmness of the place. This restaurant provides with an excellent opportunity and environment to study, work, chat, meet with friends or enjoy the loneliness. Moreover, as part of the strategy, the distribution of the seats and tables is organized into small and cosy areas to let the visitors speak with their company and not be afraid to annoy the other clients.
However, at the same time, there are seats for those customers who came alone, and the space is also designed in such a way that it is very free and welcoming. Hence, the customers are able to interact with each other and the restaurant workers visually and feel more comfortable.
This is simultaneously a friendly take away shop and a cosy restaurant of more than fifty seats. There are two floors, so everyone is able to find a table and enjoy his or her meal in peace and quiet. The top floor of the fish and chips restaurant gives the visitors the possibility of a slight overview of the ground floor through the designed void. Also, glass layers as well as skylights create a feeling of weightlessness and airiness and allow the customers to observe the sky, dream and forget about the sadness and loneliness. This place is safe and interacts with Nature by adding big plants and flowers. Plants on the way to the first floor as well as under the staircase are an optimal solution to include greenery since the outdoors lacks it.
The spaciousness of the room and the quick service minimize the possibility of a queue. However, if it does appear, then the luminosity and freshness of the room will allow the people to spend time in line with pleasure. While people eat or buy the food, they enjoy the simplicity of the sea that may be felt in every corner of the market. The colour scheme that consists of light shades like white, light, purple and pink is inspired by the Greek beach houses, which this place offers an authentic experience of. All those colours are combined perfectly in order to create a harmonious environment, which is one of the main purposes of the restaurant.
This research involved participant observation in a restaurant; the Marino restaurant. This local restaurant is a perfect place for observing interpersonal interactions in public places. The researcher visited the restaurant on three consecutive Saturday evenings and noted various significant demographics associated with this setting.
First, the restaurant plays slow classical music, which usually is ideal for a family dinner. The middle class and families frequent it, and it serves diverse local and foreign cuisines. Also, the type of lighting tends to be brighter, especially in the evenings, indicating that the place is more family oriented. The researcher observed that to get the waitress’s attention, one has to maintain prolonged eye contact or call out for the waiter. The patrons’ voice levels are usually low indicating that the conversations are intimate.
The seating pattern is typically a four-person per table arrangement. The employees’ demeanor is friendly, as each table is served by one waitress who ensures that customer’s needs are met. The menu served in this restaurant reflects the American culture; it includes local food items like steaks, soups, and hamburgers. Other norms observed by the researcher include the use of silverware and cutlery (knife and forks) by patrons instead of fingers and the preference of soda to beer.
Also, each patron puts a napkin on his or her lap before taking a meal, and the maximum allowable tip is set at 15 percent. In this restaurant, the staff attire matches the décor of the restaurant while the patrons’ attires change depending on the weather. Also, there is a bit of lousy phone etiquette among patrons, with many of them making calls from their tables.
Review of Literature
Most studies on eating out in a restaurant setting focus more on patron experience. Seong-Seop and Chong-Ki suggest several factors that influence customer preference of commercially prepared meals to home cooked meals. He argues that the restaurant, besides providing food, is a place of theatrical performance, and its atmosphere and quality of service have an appealing sensory experience (Iso-Ahola 51). Moreover, in American culture, eating out is often preferred by many, especially on weekends.
Griffin states that, in modern restaurants, the atmosphere, customer service and décor aim to enhance “customer responsibility and shape sociality” (5). Thus, restaurants are designed in such a way that they stimulate conversation and engagement between two people. Concerning social behavior in restaurants, Dirks and Rice argue that human performance is shaped by normative demands of the social or cultural context (43). Thus, eating out behavior is culture-specific; it reflects the culture of the clients.
Eating in a restaurant on Saturday nights has symbolic significance in the American context. Often, people eat out when it is necessary or out of pleasure. Previous research in Britain by Crompton and McKay suggested that dining out in restaurants is a common way social distinction is expressed in the society (427).
This shows that dining out has significant symbolic and social implications for certain groups, a scenario that makes it possible to assess the expression of social groupings in a given restaurant. Similar studies in the U.S. establish similar findings.
A study by Parret indicates that the frequency of dining out and the venues visited by many Americans reflect age, social class, income level, gender and region (492). On the other hand, studies on labor practices and commercial cooking, which are based on data obtained from interviews, ethnography, and observation, suggest that face-to-face relations influence the social behavior of the clientele.
Typically, the manner of delivery and service organization (self-service or formal) and the nature of customer-waiter interactions are essential aspects that shape social behavior in a restaurant (Parret 497). The feeling of satisfaction with the service and the dining experience impacts patron behavior during and after the dining event.
Cialdini and Goldstein have studied the roles of waiters and waitresses in restaurant settings. This study gives insights into the role of waiting in restaurant settings and how it affects the customers’ food choices and social behavior (Cialdini and Goldstein 43).
Issues related to eating out such as social divisions, the restaurant choice, and cultural as well as economic factors associated with dining out can be addressed using one or more social perspective (Levin 2). Based on the information gathered from the literature reviewed, the researcher assumes a structural functionalism perspective to explore socio-cultural issues in the context of the Marino’s restaurant.
Hypothesis
Eating out especially on weekends is a common practice among Americans. The characteristics of the restaurant often reflect the economic, social and cultural aspects of the patrons. From the décor of the restaurant, the type of conversations, the type of cuisine served to the demeanor of the staff. A restaurant often reflects the cultural, social and economic status of the patrons.
This study seeks to test the hypothesis that the social/human behaviors in the Marino’s restaurant correlate with the patrons’ social, cultural and economic status. The social factors (nature of conversations, phone etiquette, type of music, seating arrangements and cuisine choice) are the dependent variables. The independent variable, in this case, is the nature of the restaurant, i.e., its orientation.
A family oriented restaurant offers a service that is different from that offered by a date-oriented restaurant. Restaurant orientation determines the social behavior of the patrons frequenting the place. Conversely, social behaviors correlate with the restaurant’s orientation.
Collecting and Analyzing Data
The restaurant’s attributes reflect its social class and the characteristics of its patrons. As Parret writes, dining out in America correlates with the region, gender, social class and age (497). Similarly, the décor and other characteristics of the Marino restaurant appeal to middle-class households.
The patrons are mainly from the local area; they visit the restaurant to sample out the local and foreign cuisines and spend time with their families after a busy week. The music played is slower, providing a relaxing atmosphere that is ideal for a family outing. Parret would classify the restaurant as regional and appealing to a particular social class, i.e., families.
Waiting in restaurants and the interpersonal interaction between the waiter/waitress and the customer also influence behavior. As Crompton and McKay write, a customer’s gratification or discontent depends on how the waiters/waitresses interact with the customer (427).
In Marino, the serving staffs have a friendly demeanor and swiftly respond to the customer needs. However, the researcher observed that it is only through sustained eye contact that one can draw their attention. Crompton and McKay would attribute possible customer discontent to the difficulty to get waiter’s attention and the limited managerial involvement in customer affairs.
The Marino restaurant’s characteristics such as the type of music played, seating arrangement, the décor, and silverware as well as the drinks served (soda) correlate with the American culture of eating out. Cialdini and Goldstein state that a popular restaurant, besides offering a broad range of dishes that appeal to diverse customer tastes has an atmosphere that appeals to their sensory experience (43). Marino’s attributes appeal to families making the place a popular weekend dining place for families.
Conclusion
It is clear that several factors determine eating out by families in restaurants. In particular, the orientation of the restaurant (family or date orientation) influences the preference of patrons frequenting a particular site, especially on weekends.
Also, attributes of the restaurant such as the kind of music played, seating arrangements, décor, the nature of interpersonal interaction between the waiters/waitresses and the customers, and the cuisines served influence social interactions and human behavior in eating places.
Marino has attributes that appeal to families. It’s bright lighting, four-seat per table arrangement, major dishes served (hamburgers and steak), drinks (soda) make it an ideal family dining place.
From a structural functionalist perspective, the American culture dictates that once in a while, families eat out in a restaurant. This practice creates employment for the restaurant staff, suppliers and truck drivers who deliver the produce. Therefore, this practice is functional as it sustains the economy of American society. Also, the kind of music that Marino plays is functional; slow, classical music provides a relaxing atmosphere that is ideal for a family dinner.
In this study, the independent variable (restaurant orientation) correlates with the nature of conversations, staff service/interaction, phone etiquette, type of music, seating arrangement and cuisine served at Marino’s restaurant. Future studies should examine how restaurant orientation determines the social responsibility to pay bills, the age of waitresses and symbolism in a given restaurant setting.
Works Cited
Cialdini, Robin, and Noah J. Goldstein. “The science and practice of persuasion.” Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly 43.2 (2002): 40-50. Print.
Crompton, Jill, and Sally McKay. “Motives of visitors attending festival events.” Annals of Tourism Research 24.2 (1997): 425-439. Print.
Dirks, Don, and Stephen K. Rice. “Dining while black: Tipping as social artifact.” Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly 45.1 (2004): 30-47. Print.
Griffin, Erick. A First Look at Communication Theory. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies. 1997. Print.
Iso-Ahola, Simor. The psychology of leisure and recreation. New York: Prentice Hall. 1980. Print.
Levin, Jack. The Sociology of Boston’s Restaurants: Where Diversity and Good Food Meet. 2008. Web.
Parret, Matt. “An analysis of the determinants of tipping behavior: A laboratory experiment and evidence from restaurant tipping.” Southern Economic Journal 73. 2 (2006): 489-514. Print.
Seong-Seop, Kim, and Lee Chong-Ki. “Push and pull relationships.” Annals of Tourism Research 29.1 (2001): 257-260. Print.
People from different parts of the world have various behaviors. It should be noted that even people who belong to the same cultural group might exhibit different behavioral traits depending on their work. As a matter of fact, it is not obvious that when a person is at a given place, he or she will behave as expected.
More often than not, people depict unexpected characters when they are in a certain place. It is supposed, for example, that when people are in a given restaurant, they will go there to eat. However, that is far from the truth. If one listens to the conversation that people have while in a restaurant, then the reality of what really happens will be brought to the surface. In this regard, I conducted an observation survey in a restaurant and documented what I saw.
It was on a Thursday during lunch hour and at that time it was expected that people would be rushing to have their lunch and make it back to their offices. Moreover, it was drizzling outside as such most people were rushing into various restaurants to avoid being wet. The restaurant I chose is situated at the center of the town, a place that is surrounded by many offices.
Being at this strategic place, the restaurant usually receives a lot of people during lunch hour. This reason, the unwelcoming weather conditions outside ensured that many people came to the restaurant that particular day. Consequently, I was assured of variety of people to choose from for my observation.
The restaurant is a high end place designed to take into consideration the needs of the working class people who usually visit it. It prepares high quality foods hence the aroma in the restaurant is very inviting.
However, being located in the middle of working class people, the restaurant is relatively expensive. On the same note, the tone of service in the restaurant was formal given the fact that most of the people came from the nearby offices. Services were also quick, which really impressed me. It took roughly three minutes for a person to get his or her meal ready after ordering.
People came in groups, which I assumed had been composed of workmates from the way they were talking, mostly about how a certain duty should have been executed. Additionally, most people were dressed in official clothes and looked well mannered. While taking their meals, most of the people were careful and ate systematically.
The conversations revolved around issues to do with work and work environment. Nonetheless, in very few cases, people talked about their personal issues. It is important to note that there were few people who came in twos and they seemed to delve much into their personal issues. Nonetheless, most of these people seemed to be working in the nearby offices judging from their dressing and code of conduct.
There was this one couple, which seemed to be slightly different. The man was in casual wear while the lady was in official attire. According to my judgment, one of them, the man to be exact, could not be from the nearby offices.
Moreover, the two seemed to be cautious on their talk and they looked around from time to time in what seemed to me as ensuring that nobody was peering into their conversation. Given the fact that they were to my right, I decided to listen to what they were talking because I could do so without arousing their attention.
Their facial expressions indicated that they were not very happy people. However, from the conversation, I was able to determine that they were in a relationship. They were talking mostly without direct eye contact, which is a sign that is usually associated with a disagreement. The voice of the conversation was low and one could not be able to get every word of their conversation clearly. Nevertheless, in certain instances, they could raise their voices at each other to enable a nearby person to get what they were saying.
They had a disagreement concerning the conduct of the lady while being at work. The man was complaining that most of the times when he called the work place of the lady, she avoided lovely words that she was never afraid of using even in public. This and other behavioral changes had raised concern to the man and he was demanding for explanation. Their tone was variant, sometimes low and soft while other times, it was harsh. Body language was also suggesting that they were having an argument.
There were instances where the man was vigorously shaking his head in disagreement. These were also the same periods of time when he spoke in a relatively loud voice and harsh tone. On the part of the lady, she was mostly calm with minimal body movements suggesting that she was explaining something.
There was only one instance when she stood up and threatened to walk out depicting that she was fed up with the direction of their argument. From the minimal part of the conversation that I managed to overhear, the lady kept on repeating the same explanation again and again. She was explaining that she was not cheating on the man.
From the beginning, I had become angry with the way the man was not giving the lady time to explain her side of the story. He kept on insisting that something was going wrong and did not listen to what the lady tried to say. However, after getting the story of how the lady had changed since she got employed, I started to understand why the man could get angry. That reminded me of my ex-girlfriend whom I had disagreed regarding the issue of not picking my calls.
My girlfriend was never apologetic because she thought it was her right to accept or decline my calls. However, their case was different from my situation. In the end, they reached an agreement and walked out of the restaurant holding each other’s hand. For my case, we had to break up. The end of their argument made me feel some sense of satisfaction because the lady was able to carry the day.
It is expected that people will go into a restaurant because they want to eat. Notably, most people will not want to discuss personal issues during lunch hour break. Nonetheless, as it is depicted from the above observation, people do not just go to lunch and eat silently. Much is discussed over lunch. People may want to talk about their issues at work and discuss what annoys them about their work and what exhilarates them. Moreover, there are those who may wish to solve their personal issues.
The tipping behavior can be provoked or stimulated with references to different messages provided on checks or various policies followed by servers and restaurants. If the correlation between the server’s communication and the amount of tips is stated in previous researches along with the other influential factors, the role of the message and stated sum for tipping should be discussed in detail.
Three different messages on checks were proposed to the representatives of three different groups to examine the reactions and tipping behaviors in relation to the reactance theory and the anchoring and adjustment theory.
It was found that customers were inclined to reject following the fixed sums, but reacted positively to the proposals to tip. Thus, the significant role of free choice in tipping behavior was supported with references to the reactance and the anchoring and adjustment theories because having the right of choice, customers gave more tips.
Tipping is a voluntary payment behavior typical for customers as the reaction to the services provided. Tipping is a vital component of the service industry such as restaurants and cafes. As any other behavior, the tipping behavior based on definite behavioral principles which are important to be studied in detail to discuss the possibilities for influencing and controlling the tipping behavior.
It is stated in previous researches that there are many factors which can influence the customers’ tipping behavior such as the atmosphere of the party, gender of the server, particular features of communication between servers and customers, and tipping policy followed by a restaurant (Garrity & Degelman, 1990; Rind & Strohmetz, 1999).
If the factor of the party’s conditions and atmosphere as well as the aspects of the server-customer interactions are analyzed in researches in detail, the factor of a tipping policy used by a server or restaurant which can influence the customer’s tipping behavior are not discussed properly. Thus, this issue needs to be discussed in the research. To understand the aspects which can affect the customer’s tipping behavior, it is necessary to refer to some behavioral theories.
Different types of the customer’s tipping behavior can be stimulated or provoked according to such behavioral theories as the reactance theory and the anchoring and adjustment theory. The reactance theory states that people usually do not like when their freedoms are threatened, and their decisions and opinions are directed or imposed (Worchel & Brehm, 1970). Customers prefer to decide independently how much tip to give.
According to the anchoring and adjustment theory, the person can refer to the starting numbers proposed and follow them or not (Baron, Branscombe, & Byrne, 2009). Thus, it is a good policy to propose a certain tip and allow the customer to follow it or not (Thorsteinson, 2011). The customer’s tipping behavior can change with references to the messages provided regarding the sum of tips.
In the present study, we focus on analyzing the customer’s tipping behavior in relation to the message provided on the check regarding the sum of tips with references to the reactance theory and the anchoring and adjustment theory. The present study examines two hypotheses based on two theories:
H1: Customers are inclined to decide independently how much tip to give (the reactance theory).
H2: Customers are inclined to refer to the proposal to tip when the sum is not fixed or presented as the desired one (the anchoring and adjustment theory).
It is possible to predict that tipping behaviors depend on the customer’s personality, and both theories are relevant. Furthermore, the stated sum for tipping can provoke the customer’s rejection to tip. Thus, the independent variables are variants of tipping presented in messages and dependent variables are the amount of tip.
Method
Participants
99 people (72 females and 27 males) were randomly chosen from a sample of students studied in Psych 312 Class to participate in this research. The age of participants is 19-44 years old. The mean age is 21.94.
Materials
The material used in this experiment was a video about the Australian restaurant, a scenario explaining a hypothetical experience at a restaurant, a short questionnaire about experience, and 3 different types of checks from the restaurant with a hypothetical cost. The first check included a total price and a tip line. The second type of check included a total price, a tip line, and a sentence saying that the tipping is appreciated. The third type of check included a total price, a tip line, and a comment suggesting 25% tip.
Design
This experiment is a multi-level between subjects design. The design of this experiment included three conditions which are one control group and two experimental groups (to analyze the behaviors according to two different theories). The participants were randomly assigned to one of the groups. The independent variable is the check type provided, and the dependent variable is amount of tip. Each type of check was one level of the independent variable, there were three levels.
Procedure
Participants watched a short video about the Australian restaurant. Then they were given a scenario, a short questionnaire about the experience, and one of the three different types of checks according to the group.
The participants from the first group (the reactance theory) were given the check with the fixed 25% tip, the participants from the second group (the anchoring and adjustment theory) were given the check with the message, and the control group was given the check with an empty tip line. Participants answered the questions (e.g. “Would you like to return to this restaurant?”, “Would you suggest this restaurant to your friend?”). Finally, the participants were told to write how much they would tip. Age and gender were recorded.
Results
The results of this experiment were calculated by SPSS computer system. The one-way ANOVA results showed that the effect of the message was statistically significant – F(2.96)= 4.097, P=0.2. The post hoc test results showed that the tipping behavior of the second group and the control group did not differ significantly.
Moreover, the difference in tip for the first (reactance) group and for the second (anchoring) group was significant. The mean tip for the reactance group was lower than for the anchoring group alone and for the control group alone. Thus, the participants of the reactance group rejected the proposed tip and lowered it when the representatives of the anchoring group acted similarly to those ones from the control (independent) group and provided the adequate tip.
Discussion
The hypotheses were supported by the results because the tipping behavior of participants depended significantly on the message provided in the check with the purpose to provoke or impose the definite customer’s reaction. The results showed that the reactance theory and the anchoring and adjustment theory are closely connected with the style of the customer’s tipping.
We can conclude that people are more likely to tip more if they are given some kind of reminder, a proposal, or a personal note from the waiter on the check. However, the positive attitude of the customers is challenged when the fixed sum of the tip is provided in the check. Thus, customers are inclined to have the freedom of choice in relation to how much to tip.
The potential confounds of this experiment can be the customers’ age. Young people in comparison with to older people can have very different incomes. Moreover, young people are more likely to tip less than older people. According to this confound, further experiment can be conducted on the issue of age affecting the tipping behavior.
References
Baron, R., Branscombe, N. & Byrne, D. (2009). Social psychology. USA: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.
Garrity, K. & Degelman, D. (1990). Effect of server introduction on restaurant tipping. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 20(2), 168-172.
Rind, B., & Strohmetz, D. (1999). Effect on restaurant tipping of a helpful message written on the back of customers’ checks. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 29(1), 139-144.
Thorsteinson, T. (2011). Initiating salary discussions with an extreme request: Achoring effects on initial salary offers. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 41(7), 1774–1792.
Worchel, S. & Brehm, J. (1970). Effect of threats to attitudinal freedom as a function of agreement with the communicator. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 14(1), 18-22.
Owing to variations that existed previously on the number of tips given by different hotel customers; depending on whether the serving waiter showed gratitude by writing thank you on the back of checks or smiling when presenting such checks, researchers conducted this research to ascertain impacts resulting from drawing of smiling faces on the back of the checks. In addition, researchers conducted this investigation to ascertain differences that might occur when individuals of different sexes presented to customers checks, which had smiling faces drawn on their backs.
This is to say, the second experimental goal was to determine different individuals’ perceptions as pertains to some acts that they consider appropriate for female servers and not appropriate for male servers. Generally, the experiment was to contrast variations in terms of tips that waiters were to receive by presenting checks with or without smiling faces drawn on the back of such checks, depending on the sex of the waiter (Rind & Bordia, 1996, p. 1).
Independent and Dependent Variables
Because the researchers’ main aim was to determine influences that smiling faces drawn on the back of the checks had on the number of tips offered by the customers depending on the sex of the attendant, the dependent variable is the amount of tip that each customer was to offer. On the other hand, because the amount of tip depended on who presented the check and whether the check had a smiling face drawn on it, the independent variables were the drawing of a smiling and happy face, which some checks were supposed to have, and the sex of the attendant. It is important to note here that any factor under investigation never alters the independent variable, but rather its effects determine the nature of the outcome.
Participants
The participants of the research were members of the temple university fraternity, which comprised of the faculty, students, other university workers, and two restaurant attendants; one male and another a female whose age range was in the mid-twenties. In number, the participants were one hundred and ninety-three, who comprised of eighty-nine parties that had taken their lunch in the eatery, in a time span of three days (Rind & Bordia, 1996, p. 220).
Procedure
To achieve desired outcomes, the researchers conducted their research applying the following procedure. Firstly, the experiment was to take place within a time span of three days; Monday to Wednesday, whereby each server had to have fifty cards; some with the drawing of the smiling and happy face (twenty-five), and another bunch without the drawing (twenty-five also). To ensure there was even distribution of the cards; hence, ensure randomness, the two attendants had to mix the cards by reshuffling them. After doing all this, the second step was for the attendant to give the check to the party.
However, before presenting the check as rules dictated, they had to take pick a single card from their pockets randomly; hence, determining whether they were to sketch the smiling face or not on the back of the check that they were about to present. When presenting the check, the attendants had to ensure the drawing on the presented checks were visible to the party; hence necessitating the presentation of the check to be with the backside up.
To ensure there was no manipulation of results due to interactions between the dining party members and the presenter of the check, the attendants were to try to avoid any facial expressions that could suggest something to the dining party. Therefore, after presenting the check, the waiters had to leave the dining table immediately.
Finally, after the departure of the customers, the attendants recorded on specific picked cards the characteristics of the dining party, the amount of bill paid, and the amount of tip offered by the customers (Rind & Bordia, 1996, p. 220-221).
Results Discussion
The experimental outcomes clearly depicted that the drawing of the picture had positive impacts as concerned tip giving by customers. Although this was the case, there were variations between the female server and the mail server because the female server’s tips increased by almost nineteen percent. Therefore, there was a clear indication that, adoption of these like a practice seems normal to the majority of individuals when done by females, a case which was contrary when male attendants did it. To women, the drawing of the picture enhances the nature of relationship that may exist while attending to customers’ needs, something that is the opposite when it comes to their male counterparts in the field.
On the other hand, from the research conclusions, the variability of tip proportions and the number relationship solely depended on the type of the tip’s value that the researchers used. This is because there was a negative correlation between the tip proportions and the number of parties per dining when researchers used un-corrected tip proportions. On the other hand, there was no correlation between the tip proportion and the parties per table when researchers used corrected tip amounts (Rind & Bordia, 1996, p. 223-224).
Researchers’ Explanation of the Results
From research results, researchers clearly illustrate that two factors play the primary role of determining the amount of tip offered by customers: incentives inform of smiles or a happy face and the sex of the waiter presenting the check.
In addition, researchers proved that, the correlation between the tip proportions and the dining party depended on the type of tip figure used in calculations; whether corrected or not.
Problems with the Study
Although the study examines two main factors that determine the amount of tips that different customers offer; the nature of incentive and sex of female server, it has some deficits. Some deficits of the research are; firstly, it fails to account for individual differences that may exist in these dining parties, hence the variation in amounts of tips offered. Secondly, this research study never takes into consideration the correlation that may exist between customer satisfaction, sex of the attendant, and the amount of tip given.
How to Fix the Problems
In order to fix the problems, there is need to train the waiters on mechanisms of interpreting customer characteristics; non-verbal cues, as concerns satisfaction. This because, customer satisfaction is one of the main determinants of the amount of tips given. Hence, in restructuring the experiment, waiters should present the checks to the customers but not leave immediately. That is they should take some time addressing customers’ needs although, they should maintain face neutrality.
Research Area
Because the research focuses on the perceptions that different individuals have as concerns activities that are correct depending on one’s sex, it falls under the field of social psychology. This is because the motives behind giving of tips by different individual vary depending on one’s characteristics and intentions. The fact that, different individuals have varying mechanisms and units of analysis supports this; hence, social psychology.
Reference list
Rind, B., & Bordia, P. (1996). Effect on restaurant tipping of male and female servers Drawing a happy, smiling face on the back of customers’ checks. Journal of Social Psychology, 26(3), 218-225.
Restaurants are nice social interaction places where customers frequent to be served with meals. In addition to eating, customers get an opportunity to meet and talk to family members, coworkers, relatives, and friends. The social aspect that a restaurant setting creates makes it one of the most interesting places to undertake social behavior observation. Ashford and LeCroy point out that social behavior in such a setting forms the best mechanism of understanding and explaining what prompts individuals’ feelings, thoughts, and behaviors in society (317).
My observation
My social observation took place on Friday, October 4, 2013, at 11:00 am inside the Texas Roadhouse buffet. It is one of the restaurants located on the busy streets of Schnucks. The main reason why I chose the place was due to its busy nature. This made it easy for me to observe how individuals were expressing various behavioral patterns when interacting with each other. I used the observation methodology while in the restaurant environment because this did not interfere with customers or employees. To begin with, it is important to point out that in several instances, I used to take meals in this restaurant.
The moment I entered the restaurant on this particular day, I expected to meet the usual fully packed place with customers socializing and talking about food, friends, and family. However, there were six people, each dining alone on separate tables. This presented a new twist to the usual chatter and babble. Instead, the focal point of the customers was primarily on their meals and was avoiding eye contact or exchanging the ‘hey’ greetings and nods. As I sat down, I also noticed that the typical staring at others was replaced by focusing on empty tables, large unoccupied spaces, or foodstuffs on plates. I observed that the trade-off and the need to avoid eye contact could have been a sign of disinterest among customers since it was an anti-social tendency.
Besides the problem of eye contact, I noticed the growing interest in the eyes of a few customers and especially those who were confirming what others had ordered. It is possible to concur that when customers meet family members and friends, they become so engrossed in conversations that they do not care to look at other peoples’ meals. Since each person was eating alone in the restaurant, I could notice a lack of excitement that had been replaced by the obvious interest to look at each other’s plate.
It was not silent at all when I observed the on-going exchanges in communication. The eye contact rule did not apply among the members of staff. It was quite easy to observe the staff conversing as well as the events taking place in the kitchen. Though we did not share the same table with the staff, their presence around our tables offered some good company.
My analysis
Behavioral theorists assert that the behavioral orientation of an individual is determined by the immediate environment of the person (Greene 217). This plays a critical role in adjusting the outlook and behavioral patterns of an individual. Greene and Kropf observe that behavioral displays may be limited by a prevailing situation. This can dictate the expected or unexpected actions such as avoiding eye contact, setting up of rules, and so on (145). The figure below illustrates how an individual’s social behavior is determined by both personal and environmental factors.
Figure 1: A diagram illustrating factors causing social behaviors.
Some situations face people in different instances, as denoted by the observations made in the restaurant. According to cognitive theory, an individual’s behavior in different situations is determined by the mental ability to diagnose and apply the necessary problem-solving techniques (Saleebey 57). The nature of the situation becomes critical in determining the actual technique that can be employed. Psychologists indicate that people have different methods of dealing with specific situations, depending on their cognitive abilities or prior experiences in life (Saleebey 129).
Works Cited
Ashford, José and Craig, LeCroy. Human behavior in the social environment: a multidimensional perspective: a multi-dimensional perspective. Belmont, CA: Cengage learning, 2010. Print.
Greene, Roberta. Human behavior theory and social work practice. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 2008. Print.
Greene, Roberta and Nancy, Kropf. Human behavior theory: a diversity framework. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 2009. Print.
Saleebey, Dennis. Human behavior and social environments: a bio-psychosocial approach.Chichester, WS: Colombia University Press, 2001. Print.
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, by Anne Tyler, follows the lives of three siblings in Baltimore, Maryland. A major theme expressed in this work is in isolation, while another is the influence of family that a person cannot escape. Isolation, which is (debatably) a stronger theme in this book, is also a theme in Dylan Thomas’ Do Not Go Gentle Into the Good Night and Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken.
Plot Summary
The characters Cody, Ezra, and Jenny share memories and life experiences being raised by their mother following their father leaving the family. Throughout the story, the reader can see how the different siblings experience the same things in their way. The father, Beck, was a salesman often away for business while the three children were raised by the mother, Pearl. The character Pearl is considered a perfectionist, and when the father deserts the family, she is challenged in her attempt to hold the family together as strongly as it used to be. The children usually do not act with good behavior.
Cody is the oldest sibling and is also considered to be the wildest. Cody is jealous of the supposed favorite sibling in the eyes of their mother, Ezra. Ezra is known as the mild-mannered and passive brother, who never seeks revenge for the actions against him. Ezra is employed at a restaurant and later is promoted to manager. Later still, Ezra inherits the restaurant. The main cook of the restaurant becomes engaged and later marries Ezra. Cody later becomes a wealthy businessman. Jenny’s life is somewhat difficult because she cannot find happiness with love, and finally, she gains stability with her third husband. The recurring scene in this story is Ezra trying to unite the members of his family at a restaurant. Pearl dies near the end of the story, and in the following dinners, there are conflicts. The family is never able to have a peaceful, happy meal at the “homesick restaurant.”
Library research
Summary
The first article used is about the author, and is a summary of her life and her dedication to writing. Understanding this helps in the understanding of the story, while similar underlying themes are evident in other works by Tyler. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant was arguably Tyler’s best book at the time it was published, and remains one of her best books today. Tyler was born in 1941 and is generally thought to be one of America’s most important writers that is still alive. Tyler’s writing was influenced by writers like Emerson, Welty, Faulkner, and Thoreau. Her writing is thought to carry some of these common well-known traditions (Encylopedia on World Biography 2009).
Beginning in Minnesota, Tyler’s family would move often to a variety of Quaker communities in the South and Midwest. Finally they would settle in North Carolina. Tyler went on to college at Duke University, majoring in Russian language. Future novelist Reynolds Price taught (in the way of a mentor) and befriended Tyler during these college years. Price would encourage Tyler to pursue writing with more passion, but Tyler’s passion would not change as she continued to study Russian. Tyler married an Iranian psychologist, Taghi Modarressi, in 1962. In 1964 they moved to Montreal. Here Tyler became an assistant librarian at a local law school and would soon write her first two novels. The novels, If Morning Ever Comes and The Tin Can Tree were published in 1964 and 1967, respectively.
The couple moved to Baltimore in 1967. Here, Tyler would soon write two more novels, A Slipping-Down Life and The Clock Winder. Around this time Tyler was earning respect and praise from literary critics. In the early 1980s, when Tyler’s Morgan’s Passing was published, she would be known as a famous literary artist and important literary figure; the novel would get nominated for the National Books Critics Circle award and would win the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize. In 1982, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant won the Faulkner Award for fiction as was also nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and Book Critics Circle award. Later in the 1980s, The Accidental Tourist and Breathing Lessons would win Tyler a National Book Critics Circle Award and Pulitzer Prize. Following her pinnacle writing award-winning novels, Tyler has written six additional novels to date with one more to be released this year in September (Encylopedia on World Biography 2009).
Characters are challenged to find some balance between family and self-identity in most of Tyler’s books. In Tyler’s first book, If Morning Ever Comes, the character of Ben Joe Hawkes comes home after quitting law school since he could not pay close enough attention nor focus on his studies well enough to continue. Ben was worried about his family and decided to take on the role of a ‘substitute father.’ After being back for a day Ben soon has more responsibilities than he can handle. In the novel The Clock Winder, the character Elizabeth Abbot leaves her role as a family handyman and gardener but soon finds new similar roles in another family. When she attempts to flee these roles she finds more as a mother, wife, are caretaker.
In A Slipping-Down Life, Evie Decker is unhappy with herself as an overweight and unattractive woman and decides to carve a rock star’s name in her forehead. This earns her some popular attention, and she helps the career of the star she ends up marrying (while getting more positive publicity.) The psychological problems of characters are noticeable in Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant (as is further discussed in the rest of this paper.) While the characters try to live normal family lives, they simply cannot escape confrontation and family arguments while trying to bond at restaurant. Here readers see how the influence of family cannot be avoided, among other themes (Encylopedia on World Biography 2009).
Tyler’s more recent stories are not as negative as the earlier ones, though they are still negative in many regards. The Accidental Tourist, while gaining Tyler additional fame after going to video, tells the story of Macon Leary. Leary’s marriage crumbles following the murder of her son. Leary must soon choose between the solace she finds in isolation and the discomfort in embracing the rest of her family, and this is the theme of the story. Many critics choose Tyler’s Breathing Lessons as her best work overall, as it arguably best defines personality with regards to relationships. In this book, Tyler focuses on finer details and gestures as far as the marriage of Ira and Maggie Moran. Ira is the owner of a photo framing store, who has a silent personality. Maggie, Ira’s wife of over thirty years, is a very talkative and warm person. Most of the couple’s time is spent traveling to various people that Maggie involves herself with, to the point of social excess, gossip, and meddling. Some regard these circumstances as comedic, and it is agreed that this novel is Tyler’s most light-hearted (Encylopedia on World Biography 2009).
Although an award-winning author, Tyler is a private individual who gives priority to her family while often ignoring public requests. Tyler declines interviews, talk shows, and other related invitations on nearly all occasions. She currently resides in Baltimore, Maryland (Encylopedia on World Biography 2009).
Evaluation
This article provides a great deal of insight into the narration of the book analyzed in this paper. We can see the life, personality, and main underlying themes of all of Tyler’s work and gain a better understanding of the messages in the Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. The story is in fact highly negative and pessimistic overall, and we can see though Tyler’s other work that this is quite common. Family themes are also a favorite. Also, as will be discussed, the theme of isolation which is so strong in this story is also apparently noticeable with Tyler’s personal life, at least in her wanting to remain isolated from the public eye. This article seems correct and agreeable in both credibility of fact and opinion, the notion that the author is typically a pessimist or generally negative is also quite agreeable.
Summary
The second article relates to a secondary theme to the book, the theme of a suffocating home repressing one’s personal growth. An overbearing family is a major theme in the novel. Cody has a particularly strong desire to leave home and become more involved with the world. He, however, is forbidden to do so by his family. He eventually leaves the entire town only to occasionally return when invited by Ezra for the (attempted) uniting dinners. When Cody later is reunited with his father his views change somewhat, while he then craves praise for his achievements. Cody was arguably the most affected by his father’s absence, and also had the strongest views about nearly everything (Ruppart 2008).
Isolation and poor social lines within the family are also evident with Jenny’s problem marriages. Jenny shows a level of confusion with regards to the true potential for bonding. Jenny keeps distance even from people supposed to be very close to her, while viewing self-revelation as not being natural and being chaotic. Regarding her marriage she says “Wasn’t that what a marriage ought to be? Like one of those movie-style disasters – shipwrecks or earthquakes or enemy prisons – where strangers, trapped in close quarters by circumstance, show their real strengths and weaknesses.” (Tyler, 89) Jenny is constantly trying to flee her home, like her brother Cody. Jenny is not like Cody in the way she makes amends with her previous life events and emotions. It is of important note that when Jenny visits Josiah’s home, which is built similar to her home that she considers negative, she describes Josiah’s home as dreamy and comparable to a fairy tale. This strongly implies that Jenny’s emotional instincts from her past are creating positive senses like nostalgia even though negative life events have warped her perspective (Ruppart 2008).
The novel also touches on the role of women during the 1960s in the United States. Pearl is dependent upon and thus expects funds from her husband, Beth, in additional to funds from her sons. Pearl rejects the idea of becoming educated further shows her dependence on others for financial stability, while this also causes her to be without a formal education and subject to low-paying employment after her husband leaves the family. It can be thus states that the expectations of the culture in the United States with regards to gender played a part in the lowered financial statues and potential of the family. It may have been this very realization that led Jenny to be scared of being in a similar situation and thus adamantly pursue a career in the medical field.
At the same time it was Pearl’s lack of ability to speak properly and express her feelings that influences Jenny as well, and this may have played a role in her first husband leaving her and the lack of success in future relationships as well. Pearl, as a mother, clearly prides herself in her ability to raise her children by herself. Her determination to do this without ever saying (or admitting perhaps) that she needs the children’s father or any father at all can be viewed as a type of rebellion and rejection for the stigmas of society during that time period. Meanwhile her unsuccessful relationship with Beck reduces her to a state lacking emotion, and furthermore this state makes her view another marriage as a bad idea. The most crippling aspect of all of this is that she is unable to effectively communicate and form the strength of bonds necessary for the family to stay closely connected. This is becomes represented literally by her delirious behavior and physical blindness near the end of her life just prior to her death (Ruppart 2008).
Evaluation
This article provides more insight than was immediately evident in the first reading of the novel. Much of the symbolism was not immediately noticeable to me, and the combination of the extra critical thinking with the opinion of the author provided new levels of understanding. The author’s interpretation of the symbolism and causes and effects of various actions throughout the story seems fully sound and correct; nothing seems illogical or incorrect. Overall this article allowed for a more thorough analysis and comprehension of the book both in events and symbolism.
Detailed analysis
While the theme of family influence hindering a person’s personal development, and the individual’s quest to find a balance between their personal growth and growth within a family are major themes of the book, they are also obvious ones. These themes are quite plain for any reader to comprehend in the reading of this book, while any information that might have been missed or not properly considered in these areas can be summed up quick.
Isolation, in both the physical forms and emotional forms, is evident through the book. It is isolation that plays a critical or even primary role in the actions of the Tulls (Ruppart 2008). Pearl’s distrust of anyone outside of the family combined with her fear of the family splitting even further apart causes her to attempt to hold her children back from exploring and interacting with the world. At the same time, her children nonetheless are able to develop through bonds they form outside of the family (which are debatably even stronger than the family bonds.) Ezra provides one the best demonstrations of this process, as he reveals that this suffocation and lingering area of the functionality of the family plays a role in the children seeking outside bonds just to gain real emotional support. When Ezra departs for his soldier campy, he requests that Jenny cares for Josiah and Ms. Scarlatti, however does not make such a request for Pearl.
This suggests that Ezra has considered these people as his new family, while they are placed even above Ezra’s own biological mother. Ezra identifies with the feelings of being vulnerable and alone in the world with Ms. Scarlatti and Josiah. Ezra may have even, in his mind, replaced his mother with Mrs. Scarlatti in some ways, as both of these characters experienced trauma due to the less-than-responsible actions of the men that involved with their life. In his relationship with Mrs. Scarlatti, Ezra uses her to ease his emotional problems while getting the nurturing support his mother either could not offer at all or offered less readily than Mrs. Scarlatti. It is possible that Ezra’ failure although strong desire to bond with his mother that causes him to seek the company and emotional bonding of another character which is like his mother in some ways. It is the isolation from emotional needs that causes characters to find substitutes in ways that only partially meet these needs (Ruppart 2008).
Ezra’s ultimate disappointment in reuniting the family in a happy way during his years as a child causes him to look for another home, and thus causes him to be physically isolated following his initial emotional isolation. In soldier camp, Ezra writes to Jenny and Pearl of what he has found to be similar to home, “I think a lot about Scarlatti’s Restaurant and how nice the lettuce smelled when I tore it into the bowl, he wrote – his only mention of homesickness, if that was what it was. Pearl gave a jealous sniff.” (Tyler 96) Ezra reveals that the restaurant provides him with a sort of home life that caters to his emotional and creative needs, and furthermore lets him fulfill his desire to nurture others. Ezra calls this restaurant the “homesick restaurant,” and thus uses it in his attempts to bring the members of his family back together in a pleasant manner. In these actions Ezra is able to better meet his desire to nurture and cure his own sense of being homesick. Though he is emotional in these ways himself, Ezra accuses his own mother of being too emotional while his distance from his sibling cause his attempts at bring them together to fail, forcing him back into isolation and weakening his fulfillment gained in attempts to nurture. While Ezra’s emotional issues are caused from his physical separation from home life and the nostalgia of his family being whole, he does actually mention and other moments of homesickness with regards to his mother or siblings.
Jenny also shows a strong desire for emotional bonding beyond her relatives. Josiah is a character who is essentially an outcast from his educational organization, and becomes compensated in this regards at his mother’s home. This would be soon contrasted through Jenny. Jenny is intentionally regarded as an outcast by her own mother, in Pearl’s attempt to uphold a sense of family support, respect, and bonding (Ruppart 2008). Of course this is ultimately counter-productive. From Jenny’s perspective, she cannot success in offering the sense of bonding through home life and thus desires the same from people not part of the immediate family. Jenny correlates her house as something dark and akin to a jail.
As mentioned, this is in direct contrast to her perspective of Josiah’s house, as for some reason she sees this house as a haven from a fantasy story although it is very similar to her house. Jenny further describes her home from her early life as dank and oppressive, not able to recognize the danger clouding around it nor able to allow light to shine through it. This house plays a role in Jenny’s isolation from experiencing life in any real sense, and even in returning to the home Jenny feels the rooms close her off from the outside world and once again isolate her in this sense of darkness. The actions of her mother possess her while she emulated the aggressive and bothered manner of actions towards her family that her mom once displayed. Thoughout her whole life, Jenny desires to escape her sense of isolation in additional her past, all while avoiding making the same mistakes her mother had made to create those conditions (Ruppart 2008).
Concluding remarks
Isolation is a common theme in many works, and to relate to the other works studied, the theme is shared in Robert Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken and Do Not Go Gentle Into the Good Night by Dylan Thomas. As isolation is relevant as mentioned before in Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, it is arguably more relevant in Thomas’ and Frost’s work. These two poems are not strongly related to family ties as with Tyler’s novel, the isolation is more directly related to the self with regards to anyone at all, and not just a specific group.
Frost’s poem describes the journey of isolating one’s self from the mainstream path and creating one’s own path in life. The lines “Oh, I marked the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way I doubted if I should ever come back” show the man on the journey realizing how he must separate himself from the common ways of doing things and leave all the related social support behind in the process (Frost; PoemHunter 2009). The poem is a metaphor for such a journey, as the poem itself only describes a person physically hiking on roads rather than choosing a side, but it is commonly accepted that the poem is symbolizing the journey though life with these roads.
The lines “Somewhere ages and ages hence, Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference” show the satisfaction the traveller has taken in separating himself from the social support of the mainstream, showing here isolation in a positive light (Frost; PoemHunter 2009). This poem shows that sometimes, if not often times, it is better to sacrifice the social support of doing the common or expected things in life and instead simply doing what one feels is right, regardless of the amount of support. As such, sometimes isolation can be a positive thing, whether the positive effects are noticeable either immediately or eventually. Tyler’s novel does not portray the aspect of isolation in such a positive light, as the characters must find substitutes which may have further contributed to the destruction of family ties. It is arguable, however, that the family was doomed to darkness following the separation of the parents due to Pearl’s stubbornness, and as such the results of family isolation were in fact wholly positive as there was never hope in fixing the family.
Thomas’ poem deals with isolation that often comes with age, and shows the aging man being without social support and generally isolated from society while life goes on around them. As such, isolation is not shown in either a positive or negative light, but is ultimately a common condition with which the fighting of age and activity in life must be challenged. The lines “Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light” express how the aging must fight the “light” disappearing in their life by making themselves more active with their surroundings (Thomas; Academy of American Poets 2009). Old people commonly sit around by themselves and wait for good things to happen to them, while they stop exercising or putting forth their own effort into involving themselves with the world. Meanwhile, they commonly become more depressed in this process. Thomas’ poem describes these conditions as they occur, with the activities fading and the “brightness” of life fading while these activities involve the aging less in less. Thomas suggests that the aging do not simply allow themselves to be disconnected, isolated, and without activity and essentially sit around and wait to die. He rather recommends that such people “rage” against this inevitability by being as lively as possible.
Works Cited
Academy of American Poets (2009). “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night- by Dylan Thomas.” Web.
Encyclopedia on World Biography (2009). “Anne Tyler Biography.” Encyclopedia on World Biography.