Abstract
This paper examines why food rhetoric and sensorial literacy are critical to creative writing praxis. It explores concepts such as sensorial literacy, urban food texts, gastro lexicon, ethnography through foodways were explored throughout the semester. Other than this, the paper also brings in concepts from discussions generated in an introductory creative writing class I taught in the Fall of 2023 from the lens of food. Genres such as auto-ethnography, food journalism, food poetry, food fiction, food motifs in creative nonfiction and fiction narratives and more were explored during the semester through reading-based discussions, writing generated from assigned prompts and food, collective craft exercises, and workshops. The classroom-community discussions generated students’ own experiences related to food-memories, multisensoriality, embodied memoried stories, gastro lexicon of communities, and emotional vulnerability. The focus in this paper is on sensorial literacy which encompasses several embodied experiences associated with food and its affects in creative learning praxis combined with food rhetoric. I argue that teaching and writing about food can trace not only ethnographic details of a community, but also connect with body-memory in storytelling or writing of poetry to bring an immersive experience for readers.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Gastro lexicon, Creative Writing Praxis, Sensorial Literacy, Food Narratives
