Bitter Sweet Realization
Marla May
Lindsey Martin-Bowen, J.D.
English Comp 102
23 October 2012
Bitter Sweet Realization
Today is a day of great sadness in the literary world. While I was not a personal friend of Amy Bender, she touched me on a personal and emotional level. Her death came unexpectedly and as I watched the story unfold on the news I felt a deep sense of grief. She was an author who understood the depth of feelings and portrayed it magnificently in The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. I sat at her funeral service looking around at the friends and family who were all lucky enough to be in her day to day life. As a young child I used food to cope with my emotions. At the time I didn’t understand why in fact it didn’t connect until I had read her novel but rich decadent food gave me a way to escape from my life As I read her obituary and listened to the speakers at her funeral I was embarrassed for her as they did her little justice as you can see below.
Where are the declarations of her accomplishments? Her creative writing workshop or the prizes she won? Those who spoke at the funeral shared tales of her childhood experiences and short stores to bring light to the situation. None did her justice. In my mind she was one of the greatest writes of all time and these stories were not meeting my expectations. I went home and wrote my own paper to hand deliver to her grave the following day where she lay alone, next to an empty plot intended for her widower.
BENDER, AIMEE Beloved daughter and sister of 2 passed away on October 10, 2012. She was born on June 28, 1969 in California. Aimee taught creative writing at The University of Southern California. Aimee received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at San Diego, and a Master of Fine Arts from the distinguished creative writing MFA program at University of California at Irvine. Aimee Lived in Los Angelos California. Aimee Bender is the author of 4 books. Aimee is also leaving behind
Lindsey Martin-Bowen, J.D.
English Comp 102
23 October 2012
Bitter Sweet Realization
Today is a day of great sadness in the literary world. While I was not a personal friend of Amy Bender, she touched me on a personal and emotional level. Her death came unexpectedly and as I watched the story unfold on the news I felt a deep sense of grief. She was an author who understood the depth of feelings and portrayed it magnificently in The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. I sat at her funeral service looking around at the friends and family who were all lucky enough to be in her day to day life. As a young child I used food to cope with my emotions. At the time I didn’t understand why in fact it didn’t connect until I had read her novel but rich decadent food gave me a way to escape from my life As I read her obituary and listened to the speakers at her funeral I was embarrassed for her as they did her little justice as you can see below.
Where are the declarations of her accomplishments? Her creative writing workshop or the prizes she won? Those who spoke at the funeral shared tales of her childhood experiences and short stores to bring light to the situation. None did her justice. In my mind she was one of the greatest writes of all time and these stories were not meeting my expectations. I went home and wrote my own paper to hand deliver to her grave the following day where she lay alone, next to an empty plot intended for her widower.
BENDER, AIMEE Beloved daughter and sister of 2 passed away on October 10, 2012. She was born on June 28, 1969 in California. Aimee taught creative writing at The University of Southern California. Aimee received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at San Diego, and a Master of Fine Arts from the distinguished creative writing MFA program at University of California at Irvine. Aimee Lived in Los Angelos California. Aimee Bender is the author of 4 books. Aimee is also leaving behind
Cited: Bender, Amy. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. Double Day: New York, 2010. Bender, Amy. http://www.flammableskirt.com/newbook.html. A Kind of Flag Planting. Layden, Sarah. Guernica. Ed. Michael Archer. 15 Nov 2000. http://www.guernicamag.com/interviews/bender_11_15_10/. The Onion. “All Seven Deadly Sins Committed at Church Bake Sale.” 2007. Back to the Lake. Ed. Thomas Cooley. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 2012. 190-92. Print. Surreal Meals: An Interview with Aimee Bender. Parker, Allison. Leite’sCulinaria.com. 14 Oct 2010. http://leitesculinaria.com/55819/writings-aimee-bender-interview.html