Essay – Chocolat & Poems
People embark on various journeys in their life time. These journeys may take the form of a physical journey or inner journey or even an imaginative journey. Regardless they can offer various experiences from which we can learn about ourselves and the world.
The film Chocolat is set in the 1950’s in a small French town which is very set in its ways. The two protagonists, Vianne and her daughter, Annouk arrive in the town after a long and arduous journey in winter, across an inhospitable landscape. Their physical journey is accompanied by both imaginative and inner journey of their own and of the townsfolk as they make their presence felt in the conservative town.
Vianne and Annouk encounter a physical journey with an inner and yet imaginative one. They have set themselves in a conservative town. Since the pair have been travelling so much “umm Venice..then Andalusia..then Athens, yeah..” they don’t even remember the names of the towns. Vianne’s journey is not only physically difficult. She is an alien and meets with much disapproval and opposition in the towns that she visits. Vianne undergoes an inner journey. She realises that while travelling was a way of life for her mother and her ancestors it is not what she and her daughter Annouk want.
This change and realisation is seen in a number of scenes. Annouk’s distaste for the way of life can be seen in her imaginary friend Pantoufle who has an “injured leg” and cannot hop. After the story of George and Chitza’s meeting eye level shot of mother and daughter in their bed suggests the warmth of home. This is contrasted with Annouk’s question about their nomadic life. “Will this go on forever and ever?” Her tone suggests it is not what she looks forward to.
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost communicates to readers the importance of choices made in life. Everyone is faced daily with decisions varying in significance and complexity. Frost’s poem, “the Road not Taken” opens up...