Summary
In her memoir Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner examines grief, cultural identity, and personal growth. Zauner experiences the loss of her mother to cancer and turns to Korean cuisine for comfort. As a person of mixed heritage, she explores her cultural background. Dishes like kimchi and jjigae serve as connections to her mother. This connection offers both sorrow and a path to healing. Zauner recounts her journey to reconnect with her roots. As a consequence, the story underscores the bond between parent and child.
Overview
In her memoir Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner explores themes of identity and grief through her relationship with her mother, Chongmi. The narrative shifts between past and present, covering Zauner's journey from childhood in Eugene, Oregon, to adulthood. Zauner's musical ambitions often clashed with Chongmi's traditional expectations, creating both conflict and connection.
Chongmi's battle with cancer brings Zauner back to Eugene from Philadelphia to care for her mother. They attempt to reconnect over Korean foods, despite the strain from Chongmi's declining health and a family friend, Kye, complicating their routine.
When chemotherapy fails, Zauner marries her boyfriend, Peter, to share a moment of joy before Chongmi passes. After her mother's death, Zauner faces the challenge of preserving her Korean heritage and honoring her mother's memory. She channels her grief into creating her debut album, Psychopomp, as a tribute to her mother’s enduring influence.
Themes
Cultural identity through food
Crying in H Mart centers on food as a key aspect of cultural identity. Food serves as a link to her Korean heritage and represents her relationship with her mother, Chongmi. Korean dishes like kimchi, bulgogi, and banchan connect her to her origins and strengthen maternal bonds. Zauner notes that Korean food was both a means of bonding and a source of her mother's approval. During her mother's illness, Zauner cooks traditional Korean dishes such as doenjang jjigae and jatjuk. She finds comfort and a connection to her cultural lineage in these culinary practices. Food plays a central role in preserving family legacy and honoring her mother's memory, affirming Zauner's own identity.
