Question

Answer in an essay the importance of being earnest. must be well organized written in complete sentences. The answer must be at least two paragraphs long.

How is the consumption of food used a symbol in the play? What does food stand for in the play? How does Oscar Wilde use symbolism in his social commentary? Use examples from the play to support your answer.

Answer 1

Food is a status symbol as well as a powerful tool for characterization.

Step-by-step explanation:

In 19th century England, availability of a wide variety f food was itself a status symbol as most people relied on staple diets from the farms they could grow it on. The upper class characters in the play are thus fixated on their exotic and varied food items, centering much of their social life around meals.

Food also symbolizes characters in the play. Algernon has an unending appetite for flashy foods: suggesting his flamboyant and boisterous personality.

Muffins, tea cakes and cucumber sandwiches form the basis of conversation on multiple occasions in the play where the general mood is of establishing one's stature.