Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant: Sibling Rivalry

Sibling rivalry is what most parents fear their children will undergo as they grow and form their own identity. Competition between siblings occurs as a child tries to define who he or she is as a person and not be characterized by his or her role in the family but by independent achievements. One sibling may feel threatened when wanting to embody a characteristic a sibling epitomizes. As a result, competition and disputes occur. Chapter 5 of the novel Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler illustrates the common foundation for sibling rivalry as Cody Tull, the eldest son, is annoyed of the fondness his younger brother, Ezra, receives when introduced to the prolific amount of girlfriends Cody has over the years. Cody recognizes the

In a passage on page 131, Anne Tyler uses diction, tone, and imagery to portray the resentment and frustration Cody experiences when threatened by the affection Ezra receives from others.

The word choice that Tyler uses in the passage demonstrates Cody’s constant desire for affection. “Cody Tull always had a girlfriend, one girl after another, and all the girls were wild about him till they met his brother, Ezra” (Tyler 131). The use of always in this sentence shows that introducing his girlfriends to Ezra is a repetitive act that Cody never thinks to change. Cody wishes to embody the characteristic Ezra exemplifies and finally receive the affection he’s dreamt about his whole life. Cody believes the way to achieve his goal is to find the girl who’s not affected by Ezra. However, his hope lessens after witnessing the identical reaction

The resentment of being compared to his brother drives Cody to find the girl who will enable him to win the indirect competition for affection with Ezra. “... all the girls were wild about him till they met his brother, Ezra” (131). These words portray that Cody introduces his girlfriends to Ezra, believing each girl would be the one to choose him over his brother, but fails miserably with each attempt. Nevertheless, the girls’ similar reaction of a subtle change in stance and facial expressions causes Cody to sigh and give up on his attempt until his next conquest. “It was already too late, though; Cody never allowed second chances.” (131). These details show that Tyler has sympathy for Cody who fails his numerous attempts to gather as much fondness as his brother. On the contrary, Tyler’s admiration for Ezra is clear when the girlfriends react with shock and curiosity when meeting him. “Something about Ezra just hooked their attention, it seemed. In his presence they took on a bright, sharp, arrested look, as if listening to a sound that others hadn’t caught yet” (131). These words show that Ezra’s innocence is compelling since many are not often exposed to such people. Cody is annoyed at his girlfriends’ reactions when seeing Ezra and therefore, has a pessimistic outlook on life. Cody believes he only experiences the negative effects