O'Donnell and Cate Articles

In the articles written by Mary O'Donnell and Sandra Cate, both authors tie in strong cultural pulls between people and the food they eat.  Although one is focused on jail food and the other on cultural food politics in China, the articles are similar in the way they relate the meanings food has on people, other than its taste.  One might ask, "How can cultural politics in Shenzhen and jail food in San Francisco have similarities?" The answer is that people are people, food is food, and a person can find meaning in food, whether they be an inmate or  a resident of China.  In these two papers, the authors clearly show this affect that food can have on people.
The article by O'Donnell, The Cultural Politics of Eating in Shenzhen, explains her account of an interview she had with a real estate developer named Wang Jin.  Wang Jin explained to her the strong sense of socialism and capitalism represented in types of food in Shenzhen.  He explains that people that are lazy, sneaky, individuals eat seafood, because it's easy and no hard work is required, whereas strong, honest people eat beef because they work to raise their food.  For example, O'Donnell quotes Wang Jin, who explained that "beef eaters inhabit a world in which it is possible to obtain food honestly, while seafood eaters eat only as a result of deception and guile." (O'Donnell, 32)  He goes on to explain that the beef eaters represented socialism, whereas the fish and seafood eater represented capitalism in China.  This goes to show the strong tie that people had in regards to politics; even going as far as representing the ideas with food.  Most people probably do not see a difference in eating seafood or beef, but to many people like Wang Jin, they are strong political indicators.  She also goes onto explain the strong decline of sense of community in Shenzhen.  For the "Old Shenzheners", "meals deepened friendships, greased business deals, and reaffirmed hometown identities." (O'Donnell, 34) They were a sense of community and brought people together.  However, with the rise in capitalism, Shenzhen has become a place of poverty and inequality.  Thus, O'Donnell examines the affects food has on this declining place, and its relation to their political standing.
Cate's article takes a totally different turn, and discusses a "delicacy" in prisons known as "spreads".  The article, "Breaking Bread with a Spread" in a San Francisco County Jail, goes into detail about spreads, which are different mixtures of food created by the inmates of a jail.  When defined, spread "consists of institutional canteen commissary food items", including Ramen Noodles, tuna, beef jerky, chips, and so on.  Basically, different inmates created different combinations of spread, from "Blond Spreads" to asian themed spreads, and even types of dessert spreads, like inmate Max Hackett's "Pie Guy Pie".  These different combinations of spread are important to the inmates for several reasons.  For one, they are a variation and alternative to the food provided by the facility.  Many of the interviewed inmates explained that the food they were given in jail was "frequently dull in color from being overcooked" (Cate,20), and "the portions are too small". (Cate,23)  Spread is an alternative, with more flavor and color.  Secondly, spread is a way to show respect and individuality.  One inmate explained that by sharing his spread with leaders of "crews" in prison, it was a way to show respect and that spreads were "indicators of jail status." (Cate, 19) In addition, spreads are a way to feel like they are breaking away from authority, being original, and creating something on their own.  Cate's article does a strong job of connecting the emotional attachment and powerful feeling the inmates get from creating their own variations of spread, and how much it affects their moods while in prison.
Overall the O'Donnell and Cate articles both examine the effects that food has on people.  From the symbolism in Shenzhen, to the spread variations in San Francisco jail houses, people are affected by food no matter who they are, or where they came from.