Tembi Locke’s From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home follows her autobiographical story and her relationship with her husband, Rosario. Rosario, who is often referred to as Saro, becomes terminally ill with cancer and this causes tremendous problems in both their lives as well as in the lives of their families (Locke 173). The thematic, stylistic, authentic, reflective, and beat structure of the work defines it as a memoir. In her 25 Great Sentences, Geraldine Woods offers a new perspective on memoir and the passage of time, telling stories of how words take on tremendous power. The timeline often becomes a source of essential knowledge and, as in Saro’s case, a source of reflection.
A memoir must contain and successfully introduce thematic topics and at least the foreshadowing of obstacles and conflict. The theme of Locke’s From Scratch can be deduced as early as the subtitle. Locke presents the earliest moment of the novel with herself appearing as out-of-place or somehow without a defining identity. This is seen in her referring to herself as a ‘troll in Gap jeans’ and her unfitting job of cleaning toilets (Locke 12). The theme of family is central and becomes unraveled when Locke describes her first interactions between her future husband, Saro, and the multicultural exchanges that occur as a result. The family presents the recurring and primary conflict within the narrative, that of two cultures clashing. Locke reflects on how her father had thought that she ‘sold out’ (40) by initiating a relationship with Saro while being a daughter of a black activist. The theme of family is raised in 25 sentences: teenage desires and the fear of being unaccepted by his family collide in Caulfield (Woods). Like Tembi, the teenager does not know his identity but feels out of place in a constant search for himself.
Locke reveals significant elements of a memoir, emotional beats and the supporting narratives that illustrate the authenticity and reflective nature of the story. Saro has become sick with terminal with the progress of time. This is an integral conflict and obstacle for Locke, who begins to experience hardships through the management of Saro’s illness, facing his inner conflicts. Locke states that the occurring events became a ‘test for their permanence’ (165), as each beat served to either develop their cohesion or finally pull them apart. As Locke’s life continued with and without Saro, she began to engage with her own and Saro’s family. Specific events such as the bridging of vocabulary and discovery of bitterness as a flavor are evidence of change (182). These narratives had contributed to Locke development as the memoir began to conclude. Wood demonstrates the change in perceptions with The Last Man. Locke, like Byron, behaved rather self-righteously and foolishly, but only she was able to open her eyes, and that is her salvation from the tragic end (Woods). One could argue that Locke was able to grow out of Fools and change for the better.
Within the final segments, Locke reveals abstract but essential elements of a memoir, authenticity, and reflection. Locke is able to present her journey, emotional and physical, to the best of her ability. She reads other’s reactions; but she does not claim to know their thoughts. Locke can demonstrate that the memoir pertains to her own thoughts, and is therefore deeply entangled with her own authenticity. Later interactions are filled with thoughts regarding Saro’s absences but also the changes he had left in the lives of those he knew. This is succinctly summarized by Nonna who states that ‘going forward no one forgets’ (295). Locke interprets this as meaning that the love she and Saro had will remain a prevailing aspect of her life. This is the primary wisdom or ideal that Locke leaves the reader with when she is surrounded by a new family and in a place without Saro’s. Woods shows a similar thing, which argues for seemingly impossible things – escape and freedom: Morisson’s beloved is a story about being free (Woods). Locke becomes free because she changed her mind and was able to transcend her traumatic experiences.
Locke can include the elements of a memoir, reflection, authenticity, style, emotional beats, supporting narratives, thematic explorations, and conflict within her work. It is important to acknowledge that each autobiographical narrative is unique, and Locke’s work can preserve that through its personal reflection on her life and the influences of those that had been and are close to her. Locke demonstrates her sincerity in ‘Aftertastes’, in which she reflects on how the world subtly changes. She compares cooking to alchemy and love that values every system element. She continues to be plagued by tragedy and cannot ‘burrow inside someone else’s life’ (52). She observes the food being cooked and speculates about how the state of the system changes, but it only tastes better. The impact of love and tragedy varies with her, but she becomes a better version of herself. Her relationship with her family changes, as does the world around her and Locke is finally ready to try on her new reality.
Work Cited
Locke, Tembi. From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home. Simon & Schuster, 2019.
Woods, Geraldine. 25 Great Sentences and How They Got That Way. W. W. Norton & Company, 2018.