Consider the Lobster

               David Foster Wallace writes an article titled, “Consider the Lobster.”  The audience is chefs and people that love food or more specifically lobster.  The entire article is about lobster.  There is a lot to be said about lobster itself including its history, the different ways you can eat it, and the popularity of this omnivore.

               The article starts out by describing the Maine Lobster Festival and explaining why it is such a huge event.  Wallace states, “Tourism and lobster are the midcoast region’s two main industries, and they’re both warm-weather enterprises, and the Maine Lobster Festival represents less an interaction of the industries than a delicate collision.”  This statement says a lot.  It explains the two biggest industries that are present in Maine, which leads me to believe that the audience is extended to citizens that are from Maine as well.

               This article is written as a narrative but it is also very factual.  There is a lot of information presented about lobsters and the history associated with it.  Wallace says, “Up until sometime in the 1800’s, though lobster was literally low-class food, eaten only by the poor  and institutionalized.”  This was very interesting to read because lobster is considered a delicacy today and back in the day it was the complete opposite.  This article has a copious amount of subtexts, but they aren’t like any other subtexts I have read before.  These are notes from the author and contain a lot of humor at times.  The subtexts I have read in the past offer clarification about a word or sentence.

               The author also talks about his personal experiences and opinions.  Wallace says, “As I see it, it probably is good for the soul to be a tourist, even if it’s only once in a while.”  As you continue reading, you will discover one of the main issues or questions presented in this article, which is if animals can feel pain then what ethical convictions do gourmets evolve that allow them not just to eat the food but to savor and enjoy it?  This is a very interesting question and debate because they are two sides to the argument and every person is going to have their own opinion on the matter.