Here’s the first question we’d like to pose for consideration:
The preparation and eating of food is decribed in detail in many parts of the book. What is the significance of this, and what do the attitudes of the main characters towards food show about their personalities?
Please post your answers in the comments below. We look forward to hearing from you.
January 15, 2008 at 2:52 pm |
I think the author uses this as a way of describing those who have a joy for life and those who don’t. It’s not just the eating of food which is enjoyable, but the work towards the meal and anticipation of it which makes it interesting. Those who have no joy can’t be bothered to do all that work, such as the man who serves micro-waved food in his dingy café.
January 20, 2008 at 6:04 pm |
I think Pam is right. The main Character, Vianne, is always trying and is usually successful in preparing the chocolate dish that is the favorite of the person she is comforting. That is a look into the character, demons, desires, and hopes of that person too. It’s done with food.
DL
January 26, 2008 at 7:50 pm |
I really like the way the food kind of describes the characters. When it comes to the character, Reynaud, he is almost starving himself, limiting his intake of food. This kind of reflects his limitation of thinking.
February 8, 2008 at 3:58 am |
I think someone’s cookery is also a reflection of their willingness to be perceptive of others. You can’t feed someone ‘just the right’ food unless you make the time to get to know them. True in the novel, as in life, which is one of the many reasons I love novels.
March 8, 2008 at 4:30 am |
Reynaud wishes for his parishioners to remain devout , without temptations. He feels that anything taking away from that which they should be focused on, their Catholic faith, is sinful and will lead them to other temptations, such as divorce, outlandish clothes, etc. Chocolate, in his mind, is a temptation. So is any food that isn’t fairly simple. The descriptions of the chocolates and the party food tricks the mind into literally drooling and yearning for that food. Can’t you almost smell the chocolate? It’s tempting, even to the reader. Soaking up good food implies open-mindedness, whereas the unwillingness to indulge implies close-mindedness.