How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Probably—and this proved to be the case—Matzerath had placed the slaughtered, cleaned, washed, cooked, spiced, and sampled eels in the large terrine and set it on the living room table as ready-to-serve eel soup with boiled potatoes, and then, because no one would join him, had dared to start singing the praises of his dish, listing all its ingredients and reciting the recipe like a prayer (12.40).
In this case, Matzerath's cooking becomes grotesque and provocative. Eels sure aren't comfort food, especially for Oskar's mother, who was traumatized by them earlier that day.
Quote #8
For a long time I heard nothing but Mama's whimpering, the soft creaking of the bed, and faint murmurs from the living room. Jan was calming Matzerath down. Matzerath asked Jan to calm Mama down (12.41).
Not the world's most normal household.
Quote #9
So the father was reduced to shamefaced silence, and with a decent allowance provided by little Kurt's childish benevolence, absented himself from the apartment in Bilk as often as possible, so as not to confront his disgrace (35.14).
When Oskar has no way of making money, it makes him feel unwelcome in the house. Being a provider is what would make him feel at home with Kurt and Maria.