ce over half a century ago, to Evelyn, a sad depressed middle-aged woman. The story is about the relationship between Idgie, a dare devilish tomboy and her good-hearted friend Ruth. Together, in the 1930’s, they ran a southern caf, offering good barbecue, good coffee, and all kinds of love and laughter in Whistle Stop, Alabama. As Mrs. Threadgood tells the story of the past, the present for Evelyn will never be the same. The story of the relationship between Idgie and Ruth and all of the adventures and drama that they endured together gave Evelyn hope. They inspired her to make changes in her own life. The book also gives reference to the historically preconceived notions of southerners, separate and not equal. It too shows the struggle of women because of cultural ideas. It also suggests the value of tradition. It recalls the era when life revolved around the evening meal, a time when mealtimes were just as nurturing as they were nourishing. The title it self gives name to an old southern traditional recipe, fried green tomatoes. Although these two stories are very unique in their own way, they also share numerous similarities. They are both novels that anyone can identify with. They have all of the qualities that make it universal: relationships, history, culture, and tradition. The stories deal with relevant issues that all can relate to. Male influences, friendship, culture clashes, and tradition are all applicable to people at some period of time in their lives. They both focus on the age-old clash between generations and show the turbulence it creates in relationships. History and cultural tradition are also of importance in each. They each lay the foundations for each of the characters. They are also similar because they teach to value tradition through the art of storytelling. This idea alone makes these two novels, with very different stories, similar. They whole bases for each book is ...
