Let Them Eat All Animals, or None
Recently I read an essay by Jonathan Safran Foer, “Let Them Eat Dog.” In this essay, he explains the logical reasons why we could eat dog. My first reaction was, are you mad? I know I would never think that the stray dog I saw on the side of the road could possibly be my next meal. While I was reading an essay I noticed Foer was able to use humor, imagery, reliability, and emotions to persuade readers to ask this question: why do we choose to eat the animals we do?
By using humor, I think Foer was trying to draws us more to the topic and makes us feel comfortable to read what he has to say. He describes the taste of dog meat on page 218 as “gamey,” “complex,” “buttery” and “floral,” I giggled, and right there…show more content… More shockingly, he explained dogs and cats are provided to food processing plants in order to be made food for other animals. Foer writes about the food chain in America and touches on our emotional connection to dogs. Once again, he shows us just how credible he is by presenting to his reader shocking facts that cause us to consider.
In fact, Foer says, Dakota Indians enjoyed dog liver, and not so long ago Hawaiians ate dog brains and blood (218). Dogs are still eaten to overcome bad luck in the Philippines; as medicine in China and Korea; to enhance libido in Nigeria; and in numerous places, on every continent, because they taste good. Has the author ever tasted dog meat? Is he trying to say that dog tastes good? Either way, the author allows the reader to remove their emotional associations with dogs by discussing other cultures.
Although Foer uses humor, reliability, and emotion for advantage, he most successfully grabs readers attention by giving a recipe for dog meat. Foer presents the recipe on page 219. Stewed Dog, Wedding Style:
First, kill a medium size dog. Second burn off the fur over a hot fire. Third remove the skin while still warm, carefully; set the skin aside to be used later. Fourth cut the meat into 1’ cubes, and Blend in an puree of dog’s
