In Wendell Berry’s “Pleasures of Eating,” he develops the theme in many effective ways. He wants his audience to finish reading and clearly have a better understanding of the food industry and all it entails. He does a great job doing so by explaining with various influencing elements within his writing. By looking at imagery, word choice, and style of Berry’s short story, we can see how he gets the point across that people have the wrong perception of enjoying a meal, which most people do not see. This is important because without the use of these elements, the reader would not have such a great understanding of the purpose of this writing.

A very important element that stands out in this short story to help contribute to the theme is imagery. In one sentence, he explains that “the passive American consumer, sitting down to a meal of pre-prepared or fast food, confronts a platter covered with inert, anonymous substances that have been processed, died, breaded, sauced, gravied, ground, pulped, strained, blended, prettified, and sanitized beyond resemblance to and part of any creature that ever lived.” (Page 3). The reason for using this many descriptive words is not just to take up space in his story, but rather to give purpose. When one reads these words, it is easier to convince their minds that what Berry is saying is true. That food these days is nowhere near natural, and that what humans are consuming is actually just a part of the commercialized food industry. Although it is “prettified”, none of it is actually contributing to your health nor is it good for you, even though the media tells you otherwise. He is trying to explain to the reader that so much of what we call “food” has been molded and processed before it ever actually reaches our plates. 

Another element that contributes to the theme Berry is trying to get across is word choice. In one sentence he explains that “When food, in the minds of eaters, is no longer associated with farming and with the land, then the eaters are suffering a kind of cultural amnesia that is misleading and dangerous.” (Page 2). By using strong words like dangerous, it makes the reader more aware of how serious the subject is. He is trying to get people to open their eyes, and the only way to do so is to almost frighten someone by revealing the truth, although it may sound brutal. He also states how “food wears as much makeup as the actors.” (Page 3). This statement also does a very convincing job at showing how unnatural the food being consumed is. By comparing food to an actor, it makes it more relatable. Everyone knows that in magazines, movies, pictures etc., the actor is portrayed as a “perfect person” although that may not always be the case. It is very similar in the food industry situation as well. Although the cheeseburger sitting right in front of you looks perfectly crafted, the bun might be bleached, the meat might not all be natural, and so on. 

Last but not least, Berry uses style to add to the theme. In one sentence he states that “these domestic creatures are in diverse ways attractive” (Page 4). By giving them human-like characteristics, it gives the reader a greater sense of guilt. If you are eating a living creature and not appreciating it for what it is, then it should be something that makes you feel bad. Humans no longer have a connection between what they are consuming and themselves. In another claim he sets the mood to make the reader upset with their inconsiderate eating choices.  “Though I am by no means a vegetarian, I dislike the thought that some animal has been made miserable in order to feed me” (Page 4). This sentence gives his short story as a whole a greater meaning. He is creating an image of suffering. That although he does not follow a vegetarian diet, he still has a sense of guilt, like all humans instinctively should, and understands the pain and suffering that these animals go through. Another way he makes the reader feel bad for the animal is by stating that “It would not do for the consumer to know that the hamburger she is eating came from a steer who spent much of his life standing deep in his own excrement in a feedlot… or that the calf that yielded the veal cutlet on her plate spent its life in a box in which it did not have room to turn around.” By showing the situation from the animal’s perspective and how it has to live in order for a person to eventually be eating it on their plate makes the reader feel like they have been treating what they just brush off as an everyday meal so poorly. And after understanding this, hopefully open their eyes and make them want to change not only their ways, but the ways of the industry. And not to mention that not only does that animal suffer, but we suffer from eating what has been entirely processed and not anywhere close to what began as a natural animal. Berry’s style of writing is very neutral and almost letting the reader form their own opinions while still giving the facts, as well as being bias about the problem that he is addressing in a convincing manner.

It is very obvious that the world we live in is very ignorant to the food industry and what it has turned into. Berry does a very great, effective and influencing job at convincing the readers that what his happening with food is not in any means positive, and that we all need to open our eyes and realize the reality of it. Once the reader takes a deeper look into the meaning of the essay, you begin to understand the point and how effective Berry is able to be. He sets the mood to be slightly depressing to form a feeling of guilt and awareness. Berry uses imagery, word choice, and style to get the point across that people have the wrong perception of enjoying a meal, which most people do not see. This is important because without the use of these elements, the reader would not have such a great understanding of the purpose of this writing.  