Melissa Doherty Professor Gregory EN-102 noon class November 2000 The Ties that Bind Fear, anxiety, and shame, these are just a few of the emotions instilled upon the innocent children and mother in Suzanne E. Berger’s poem titled “The Meal.” These emotions have been brought forth from an abusive and domineering father with an insatiable need for perfection. My personal interpretations of the underlying messages found throughout the poem have led me to draw the …showed first 75 words of 606 total…

…showed last 75 words of 606 total…it sees a mother and her children victimized by an abusive father. Or is the poem nothing more that what it appears after first read, the poets portrayal of a quiet family dinner? A closer look will convince one otherwise, and have the reader thanking their lucky stars it isn’t their family. Works Cited Berger, Susan E. “The Meal.” Literature. Eds. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephan R. Mandell. Orlando: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1997. 749-750.