Rice cakes and Starbucks by Ester Freud

The text”Rice cakes and Starbucks” by Esther Freud from 2009 is about a British couple, Dan and Beth, who are married and have three children. They are now in Los Angeles, because Dan is an actor and he wants to get a career in USA. The day of the casting in the morning Dan and his family go to Starbucks to get some coffee, while he waits to go. Beth and the children wait for him there. At midday, Dan meets a casting woman from CBS, and she asks him some question about his experience and he mentions his family. At the end of the interview, she says to Dan that they will see him again soon. Back to Starbucks, he meets Beth. She asks about the casting, but he is not sure about how it went. However, he gets a call from his American manager, and finds out that she wants his daughter instead of him.

Characterization of Dan and Beth

Dan is married with Beth and they have three children. He is the provider in the family. He is ambitious about getting a career as an actor. Dan is an insecure person, because he does not believe in himself. For example at the casting, when the woman asks him about his experience and how his American accent was, he was a little nervous. He lies often and he is afraid to say the truth. He is a soft man and sometimes weak, because he is not strong enough to say his opinion and feelings. The fact that he only wanted a child and not three, says a lot about him, because he thinks about it, but he does say it to Beth. However, he mean is not his fault either his decision, but Beth’s. Anyway, he is good father and loves his children. He makes an effort to make everything works.
Beth is a housewife. She takes care of the children and the daily duties. She seems to be in control, because she takes most of the decisions, besides she has the last word. It was her decision to have three children and to move to Los Angeles. Anyway, she is a good mother and a supportive wife to Dan and she loves her children.
Perhaps her life is monotone, she expects more support form Dan regarding to the children. She wants to get her personal goals fulfilled, not only as a mother but also as a woman and have some time to herself.

Comment on Dans choice

At the end of the story, Dan decides to lie to Beth about how the casting went. It is maybe because of insecurity. I think he lied because he felt incapable to admit to himself things as they were. He is the only provider in the family. He does not mean to be bad, but somehow he thinks that his family is on his way to let him fulfill his dream as an actor. However, when he got the call from the manager, he did not tell Beth the truth that the woman called to give his daughter a job and not him. My opinion is that he is jealous, because that is his dream. He cannot accept that other get a chance, not even his daughter. The way I also understand his attitude is that if he does not achieve his goal, he sees himself as a failure. Even so, he is more concerned about himself than other people around him are. My opinion is that he not accepting or appreciating the positive things around him, which is his great family.

Short essay
Our own decisions determine the course of the life we get. Sometimes it happens automatically and sometimes because we make them happen. People still wonder, how life would be, if they have not made a particular decision. Because is far from letting them get another or new chance in life. Many times, we think what we have done and we are not satisfied, those things we would like to change. However, when we realize about the good things that happen in our life and we get success life is great. If for example, I have to consider having a family and at the same time a career, I think it would be difficult, but it would be possible. It is about willing and fighting for my dream and goals in life. Family will always be there, but chances of getting a career or a job comes and goes.