In The Importance of Being Earnest, Jack and Algernon clearly have a preoccupation with food. In this lesson, you explored the deeper meaning of this preoccupation. Using what you learned in this lesson and what you have read in the text, discuss how food serves as a symbol for obedience to impulse and the pursuit of pleasure. How does this symbol help Oscar Wilde to comment on and satirize society?
Do not restrict your discussion to your reading for this lesson; include Acts I and Il in your analysis and commentary.
In "The Importance of Being Earnest," Oscar Wilde uses the preoccupation with food as a symbol to comment on society's obsession with obedience to impulse and the pursuit of pleasure. This symbol is evident throughout the play, not only in the dialogue but also in the actions of the characters.
From the beginning, food is portrayed as a means of indulgence and pleasure. Algernon, for instance, is depicted as having a constant desire for food, which is seen in his obsession with cucumber sandwiches. He even goes as far as inventing a fictitious friend "Bunbury" to escape his social responsibilities and find pleasure elsewhere. The name "Bunbury" itself carries a playful connotation, referring to "buns" or sweet pastries, which underscores the idea of pursuing pleasure over societal obligations.
Similarly, Jack also exhibits his preoccupation with food through his fictitious alter ego, Ernest. He uses this alter ego as an excuse to fulfill his desires and enjoy the pleasures of city life. For him, being "Ernest" allows him to escape from his rural responsibilities, paralleling Algernon's use of Bunbury. Both characters use deception as a means to satisfy their impulses and pursue pleasure, rather than acting obediently to societal norms.
Wilde employs this symbol of food to satirize society by highlighting the hypocrisy and superficiality of the upper class. Throughout the play, the characters are more concerned with trivial matters, such as cucumber sandwiches or tea, than with more significant issues. For instance, Lady Bracknell's obsession with family lineage and social status is portrayed as absurd and shallow. Instead of focusing on genuine virtues or meaningful relationships, society is preoccupied with indulging in superficial desires.
Moreover, in Act II, Algernon's invention of an invalid friend named "Bunbury" demonstrates the lengths to which characters are willing to go in order to pursue pleasure. This highlights society's inclination to disregard responsibilities in favor of personal gratification. By satirizing this pursuit of pleasure, Wilde mocks societal values and suggests that true happiness should not be found in materialistic obsessions or selfish pursuits.
In conclusion, the preoccupation with food in "The Importance of Being Earnest" serves as a symbol for obedience to impulse and the pursuit of pleasure. Oscar Wilde utilizes this symbol to comment on and satirize society's obsession with trivial matters and superficial desires. Through his witty dialogue and clever characterizations, Wilde highlights the hypocrisy and shallowness of the upper class, emphasizing the need for a reevaluation of societal values.