Fruits and Veg

By: Trevor Shum

This is a combination of three different pieces about the members of my family.

I believe that if you take a long enough analysis, any person can be compared with a fruit or vegetable with some similarities to speak of: with so many different fruits and vegetables, it’s not super hard. If I represented myself using a fruit or vegetable, I would choose the cucumber because it can describe who I am with its distinct layers.

The skin is like my outer personality because I am mainly rigid, slightly stubborn, sometimes hard to convince and tend to understand and think about things in my own way, like the cucumber skin’s peeling, which is only occasionally needed, referencing that I am sometimes hard to convince. The skin is also quite rough, representing how I can be hard to communicate with.

Moving inwards, the middle fleshy layer of the cucumber is hard and references what I do, as I often think about my own things and stay within my mind (under the skin), like this particular part of the cucumber, which is only sometimes exposed to the outside, since people eat it with skin.

In the centre, the soft seeds are like my inner/core personality because on the inside, I am soft-hearted and kind, like the seeds’ soft texture. Also, the seeds being stuck to the other parts references how people often don’t see this as one of my attributes, because it’s covered by my stubbornness.

The cucumber’s mainly green colour is linked to my love towards nature and green is able to describe that. Because of these relations, cucumbers are capable of representing me in many ways.

Another funny connection is that I actually like to eat cucumbers, yet simultaneously in some aspects are very similar to it. Also, some people think of cucumbers as highly edible, and often chop them up before eating it-alive. But anyway, I don’t really mind that, but I am not always very reliable, and don’t prefer violence. So, what do you think about cucumbers now?

If you represented yourself using a fruit or vegetable, what would that be? Hope you have fun comparing different ones and finding similarities between yourself and a fruit/vegetable, or even fruit/vegetable to fruit/vegetable!

I also believe that my dad can be compared to a pineapple for a few different reasons.

The first reason is that the pineapple’s tough outer skin hides and covers its inner juice and sweetness. Well, that’s like my dad; he is very strict a lot of the time, but just wants to care for me and make me a better person. There is also a tangy sour taste to it, which represents how some of my dad’s ways of “punishment” or penalty for me when I do something wrong or bad may be strange and unconventional.

The second reason is my dad is hard to argue with, and can be unexpectable with his arguments, though you get used to these things. If you eat a pineapple whole, it is not very well, as the core is quite hard, like with a peach but better hidden (in the large body) and “camouflaged” (closer color), which can really be disappointing if you just wanted to enjoy some fruit on a hot day.

The third reason is for a less metaphorical reason: because the pineapple is one of the largest fruits (it can grow up to 1 to 1.5 meters tall, in addition to being wide), and my dad is rather tall and wide, and his overall body “theme” is suitable for being compared to that of a pineapple. They also both weigh a lot, too, with pineapples weighing on average around two pounds (substantial for a fruit), and, well, I won’t tattle about my dad’s weight, but he is quite a bit heavy.

So, those are three reasons why my dad can be compared to a pineapple. If you find these comparisons interesting and perhaps fun, you can do the same thing yourself. Also, would you like your dad to be “canned pineapple”; not being strict and just caring? Though, would it be too boring? I don’t know, but maybe you do!

Now, with my mom, I think she can be compared to the dragonfruit (also known as the pitaya). You can do some research into it, but it’s a fruit that has, well, you’ll find out.

First is the skin, and unlike the pineapple, dragon fruit skin isn’t thick or hard; rather, it’s quite soft. However, it is still very uncomfortable to eat, as there are structures growing on the outside that look like leaves but are in reality quite rubbery. I tried chewing it once, and I sure would not recommend it to you. This is like my mom; she isn’t completely as strict as my dad, but this is often deceiving.

Next is the flesh, and very similarly to the pineapple, the flesh is soft and sweet, because my mom cares about me and wants me to be better in the future. There is a kind of dragon fruit that has red flesh and juice, and is very liable to stain your clothes and skin (and change the color of your pee and poo). When eating these, you need to be very careful how you eat to not spray juice, like how trying to argue with my mom is like walking through a minefield; she can be surprising during these times and give a point that you didn’t expect. Best if you just listen, like with the dragon fruit with red flesh; you should just swallow the slice whole.

The third reason I have chosen the dragonfruit is because its outlook is quite similar to the pineapple, because my mom and dad have essentially the same ideals as each other. That’s actually a good thing, though, because even if your conversations with them are quite literally the same, it means fewer morals to remember if both parents say the same things.

Dragon Fruits are confusing and unexpectable, with different features to deal with. However, your parents probably wouldn’t have bad intentions, so some less tasty ones like bitter melon might be less likely.

You can try these comparisons yourself if you want to. Also, try to find them at the supermarket. Thank you!