The Chicken Sisters

Fried chicken is a motif in the novel. It not only serves as the basis for the rivalry between Frannie’s and Mimi’s, but it also symbolizes the need to nurture one’s dreams and union with loved ones. For Mimi and Frannie, fried chicken provided an outlet for them to establish their own lives without having to work for anyone else, such as Harvey, who owned the restaurant they first worked at on the railroad line. When Frannie and Mimi opened their own restaurant, “they were making more money with chicken than Harvey was” (2). Although their respective families originally believed the sisters were at odds with each other, Mimi’s decision to give Frannie her fried chicken recipe illustrates her willingness to share each other’s dreams and desires. Mimi recognized just how much Frannie valued her marriage and her own independence despite the tension between her and Frannie’s husband. Despite starting their own restaurants, fried chicken allowed them to stay connected with each other. In the present, fried chicken allows the characters, specifically Mae and Amanda, to discover what their dreams are and to pursue them through Food Wars. Although the competition show does not end the way they expect, it forces them to come together and gain