Chocolat
Study and Discussion Questions -
What
is your reaction to the portrayal of organized religion (church) in this movie?
Is it anything you've experienced? Do you know of people who might have this rigid
view of the church? If it's different than your experience, what would or could
you tell them? What
does Vianne represent to the townspeople? Women
play a particular role transforming consciousness in the village. How does this
happen? Vianne
holds on tightly to her Mayan heritage, exemplified most vividly near the end
of the film with the symbolic breaking of the urn that held her mother's ashes.
This follows an argument between Vianne and Anouk about whether to stay in or
leave the village. What do they gain/lose by holding onto or letting go of the
past? What are the merits of passing on the past to children? Do
all characters experience reconciliation (forgiveness, change) at the end of the
movie? Does Chocolat
work as Christian allegory? Explain and illustrate with references to the movie.
By the closing
scene of the film, the community has learned from Vianne the power of difference
and diversity over sameness and conformity. Even the priest is converted and joins
her with a message of inclusion. His Easter homily testifies to the rebirth of
the community when he says: "I think we can't go around measuring our goodness
by what we don't do, by what we deny ourselves, what we resist, and who we exclude.
I think we've got to measure goodness by what we embrace, what we create, and
who we include." How do we, as Seventh-day Adventists, measure our goodness?
Can you offer examples? Read
what others think and agree/disagree: "Welcoming
the Stranger" (scroll down to "Theological deconstruction"
and "Significance of Lenten season and Easter") and "Babette's
Feast v. Chocolat." Chocolat
and "Babette's Feast" Comparison/Contrast Essay QuestionsBabette
and Vianne are both strangers in their new communities. How do these two women
approach their new communities? With what results? Both
communities exhibit fear of strangers. In approaching a new community, what responsibility
does the stranger have to his/her host? How can being a stranger serve to benefit
a community? What are the costs of being a stranger? Some
would argue that a community has a right--if not a responsibility--to protect
its cultural norms. How does this influence the community's welcoming (or not)
of strangers? What is the place of tradition in this situation? Can preserving
tradition justify ostracizing or persecuting strangers? Illustrate your essay
with references to the works. How
do Babette's and Vianne's previous lives and/or heritages enrich their new communities?
At what personal costs? What
can Babette and Vianne teach us about freedom and tradition? Which is more important:
freedom or tradition? What do we risk and what do we gain when we hold onto or
let go of the past? What
are the ethical or religious messages of Chocolat and "Babette's Feast"?
How do Chocolat
and "Babette's Feast" address the values of difference and diversity
vs sameness and conformity. Discuss
hospitality as a spiritual act: the ability to meet people where they are, help
them feel comfortable, and offer hope and unconditional love--in spite of their
foibles. Illustrate your essay with references to the works. What
can Chocolat and "Babette's Feast" teach us about fostering right
relationships and seeking reconciliation of differences--even where we are
not welcomed? "There's
only one commandment, the One and Only Commandment. It's not easy, but it's simple:
Thou Shalt Not Other" (Barbara Hebner). How does this commandment feature
in Chocolat and "Babette's Feast"? What
role does food have in changing lives? What is the catalyst for change: the food
itself, the purveyor of the food, the circumstances of the food, the recipients
of the food, something else? Both
Babette and Vianne--in spite of their troubles--represent freedom of spirit and
are catalysts for change. Discuss and explain.
Sources:
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