Traditions can evoke a sense of comfort and peace that is unlike anything else. Naomi Shihab Nye, author of Shoofly Pie, illustrates through her writing that foods and traditions can be used to commemorate lives. The main character in Shoofly Pie, Mattie, shows how an individual can heal from a loss by honoring and celebrating their life. As Theodore Roethke said, "In a dark time, the eye begins to see". Mattie is a significant and developed character who reveals that you cannot truly move on from a tragedy until you talk about it with someone else.
Mattie is the protagonist of this story and a round character. She is shown as dynamic by the changes she makes through the course of this story while working at the "Good For You" restaurant. "The restaurant had been good for her in all the ways it needed to be, and she could move on" (Shihab Nye 182). This quote shows how much Mattie had healed through her employment at the restaurant. Mattie is also shown as a mature and independent character throughout this short story. While her mother was ill, Mattie had to learn to do things on her…show more content… She relates to Johnny, who lost his grandfather, and Riyad, who lost his father.Together, they healed through honoring their loved ones' lives. Mattie and Johnny recreated special recipes in the restaurant to remember the people they lost, while also enhancing their menu. "Mattie had the idea that they should concoct a meal based on beautiful things his grandpa used to cook for him growing up" (Shihab Nye 179). Mattie initially had the idea to recreate meals after Johnny had told her about his grandfather's favorite cornbread. While working at the Good For You restaurant, Mattie and Johnny remembered the people they had lost. "Memories you chose to treasure would never fly away" (Shihab Nye 179). This quote illustrates how Mattie had influenced the other characters in this story to celebrate their loved