The message of this Carlos Bulosan story is that money can’t buy health and happiness. The children of a poor family, full of vitality and laughter, spend a lot of time playing outdoors. Their rich neighbor, who keeps his children secluded indoors, files a legal complaint against the poor family for standing outside his house and enjoying the aroma of his food. Their father goes to court and uses a novel approach to win the case. Themes include family, social inequality, standing up for one’s rights, justice, the importance of fresh air, exercise and laughter for a healthy, happy life.
It may well be that the idea for the story came from a folktale. There are several Asian folktales involving the smell of food and the sound of money, one of which is the short Japanese folktale Smells and Jingles.
My Father Goes to Court Text / PDF (1,800 words)