The Orphanage by the Lake

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of rape, pedophilia, and sexual abuse.

Throughout the novel, food and cooking is a motif that reflects the personality and integrity of the characters. This is established in the opening pages, when Kenny offers to cook Hazel the traditional Korean dish bibimbap in exchange for her help studying for his exam. Hazel notes, “Kenny and I bond over food, especially Korean food. It reminds us of home” (7). This early exchange provides important insight into both characters. It shows that Kenny cares for Hazel and enjoys making her food. It establishes that they are both Korean American and that they have a “bond.” It also alludes to how Hazel is too distracted and disorganized to cook proper meals for herself. Throughout the novel, Hazel shows her general lack of self-care by eating a wide variety of unhealthy foods. She eats day-old donuts, fully-loaded hotdogs from a stand where she is a regular, and leftover, lukewarm pizza. It falls to Kenny to make sure she eats more well-rounded meals on a semi-regular basis.

The quality behind the meals cooked for Hazel by Andrew and Kenny demonstrate their differing levels of care and integrity. Kenny makes authentic, delicious Korean dishes for Hazel.