The Chicken Sisters

“She believed with all her heart and soul that Food Wars had the power to change everything, and she was right.”

In the first paragraph of Chapter 1, Amanda foreshadows the eventual conclusion of the novel without giving away the details of what happens. Narratively, this creates mystery and intrigue; Dell’Antonia utilizes foreshadowing to draw her reader in and recognize that the conflict detailed in the frontmatter section will have a significant conclusion.

“And just as instantly, she could see what Amanda apparently was totally clueless about—that a reality show would steamroll their mother and rip the lid off every awful thing about Merinac, their house, their childhood, everything.”

Mae’s concerns regarding the outcome of Food Wars implies that her childhood and mother hold secrets she does not want to be known, and this causes her stress. As someone with closer ties to media and reality television than Amanda, Mae is more aware of The Influence of Reality Television on Personal Narratives. In this moment, Mae highlights Amanda’s naivete, which begins to illustrate the strife between her and her sister. This is also another moment where the narrator creates mystery around the outcome of the competition show.

“Worrying about Nancy was an excellent way to avoid worrying about herself. Amanda always drew chickens when she was upset—those stupid chickens, Mae called them, and Amanda’s art teacher, along with every teacher, agreed—and this year her sketchbook was full of them.”

Amanda continuously diverts her attention from her own needs to those around her, such as Nancy, reflecting her tendency to prioritize familial responsibilities over her personal ambition. However, the decision to lean directly into her artwork illustrates that Amanda does have a passion she wants to pursue, despite being criticized for it. The association of drawing and being upset suggests that it is a soothing activity for her.