Mambo Sauce

This study guide will help you analyze the short story “Mambo Sauce” by Camille Acker. You can also find a summary of the text, as well as inspiration for interpreting it and putting it into perspective.

Presentation of the text

Title: “Mambo Sauce” (2018)
Author: Camille Acker
Genre: Short story

Camille Acker is an author from Washington DC, USA. She has taught writing workshops at several universities and institutions and her work has appeared in numerous publications. Acker’s short story “Mambo Sauce” was published in her debut collection Training School for Negro Girls in 2018.

Excerpt

Below, you can read an excerpt from our study guide:

Symbols

The most important symbol in the story is the mambo sauce that Constance eats at the chicken shop. The importance of the mambo sauce is highlighted from the beginning, as it is the title of the story. As a condiment specific to black restaurants in Washington DC, the sauce can be seen to represent the way Constance reconnects with her roots and black identity through food. Moreover, it is indicative of Constance’s newfound community within her new neighborhood, which is one of the reasons why she becomes angry and defensive when Brian and his friends make fun of it.

In the story, Constance describes mambo sauce as “sweet and spicy, like duck sauce and hot sauce combined”. In this way, the sauce ...