This novel begins with the introduction of two sisters. These two sisters are presented as different creatures despite their same origins. "The sisters' voices were almost identical, laughing mezzos tuned in childhood to the same pitch and timbre. To the ear, they were twins; to the eye, nothing alike" (5). They are similar but not the same, something like the two sides of the same coin.
We discussed the similarities and differences between Jess and Emily in class. Their largest similarity is their ethical nature. Jess and Emily care more about people than anything else. Jess uses her empathy and ability to convince Sandra to sell the cookbook collection. It sets her apart from George or Colm, who immediately begin assessing the books in an attempt to find a monetary figure that would make Sandra sell. Jess' ability to listen and understand is a strength, and in this example, it gets results.
Emily cares about her employees, she treats them all with respect. Despite disagreeing with Alex's idea, she doesn't lash out at him, she attempts to work with him. She eventually shares the electronic fingerprinting idea with her Jonathan, and he steals it. His theft is beside the point, Emily cares more about being open and honest with her long-term partner than the fact that he is a leader in a rival tech company. That's admirable and are similar to her sister's actions with Sandra. Both sisters find human relationships more important than money or business relationships.
The way each sister lives her life is where they contrast. It is apparent from their introduction to the book. It is raining and Emily says to her umbrella-less sister: "You're getting soaked" and her sister responds with "I'm hydrating" (3). Emily, the logical one, the business woman, sees her sister in the rain and finds it odd because it doesn't make sense to get wet in the rain when umbrellas exist. While Jess, the dreamer, sees the rain as an opportunity to "hydrate" instead. Emily is calculating, as her net worth sky rockets and slumps, she stays working for the long run. She doesn't jump into marrying Jonathan either. While Jess sells her stocks when it's high, seemingly to be rid of it all, and moves in with Leon after one month of dating. Emily thinks and works for the future, while Jess values experiences over everything. Despite this philosophical difference, they treat each other well and they treat others exceptionally well. At their core, they are the very same: caring. How they live is where they differ.
The constant juxtoposition of Jess and Emily was one of the most intriguing aspects in Goodman's novel, "The Cookbook Collector." So many aspects of life are classified as either right or wrong, and in this relationship Goodman forces reflection that two things can be polar opposites without either of them being wrong. As a metaphor for this concept Goodman places two sisters, both successful, both beautiful, and both imperfect next to each other to allow us to reflect. While Jess and Emily are both depicted in a mostly positive light in this novel, the sisters are completely different from each other. Goodman describes their beauty, while exquisite, as shockingly different. However, he still emphasizes the fact that they are both beautiful. "To the ear, they were twins; to the eye, nothing alike." This serves as a metaphor for most of the character in this book. Although each person is very different from the next, none of the are "bad" people. Goodman emphasizes the non-existence of clear-cut right and wrong, or good and bad. Jess and Emily may follow different rules, but neither of them actually breaks rules in the process. This character relationship serves as a lens through which we can look at the world. I see the novel as a working metaphor for the multi-faceted and ever changing system of ideal and beliefs functioning in society, and how even with different opinions and norms throughout society, we cannot simply judge something as either good or bad.
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