The FruitCake Special- Theme and Setting

Themes

~Physical attraction/superficial love versus true love ~

David Amos has only been attracted to pretty young models in the past. However, after Anna wears the special perfume, he becomes physically attracted to Anna and thinks that he loves her.  So does the waiter at the French restaurant who smells her perfume. Anna does not believe it because she knows that David Amos does not like plain girls like her.   In contrast, Armstrong who has fallen in love with Anna when he was only a pizza delivery man, withholds his declaration of love until he feels that he is worthy of her love. He only dares to proclaim his love for Anna after he has become successful owner of a pizza company. Anna realizes that he truly loves her and would be a suitable life partner for herself. 

~Integrity/self-respect~

Anna rejects both David Amos and the waiter as they are not genuinely concerned about her. She has integrity and has pride in her own worth. She resigned from her career at Amos Cosmetics because she did not like the way her employer, David Amos, belittled her , particularly in front of his snooty girlfriend, Sabina. 

~Seeking the right life partner is fraught/filled with problems~

Anna faces wrong suitors, fights and job resignation before finding her true love

~The influence of the supernatural is not desirable~

The special ingredient in the fruitcake that was mixed in the perfume did not bring happy consequences for Anna because she attracted the wrong type of men who were shallow and foolish. True love does not need supernatural aid. 

~Fulfilling family obligations to marriage~

Anna was under pressure from her mother and aunt to get married because they were afraid that she was too old (27 years) to find a suitable life partner. 

Settings

Amos Cosmetic factory in New Jersey, USA 

Anna works as a chemist designing new perfumes here. When she makes a new perfume with a little piece of fruitcake as part of the ingredients, she attracts her rich and handsome boss, David Amos, who has little regard for ordinary people.  

Home

Anna, the main character, lives with her mother at home. Her aunt Mimi is a frequent visitor to the house. Anna is single and the two women in her life are constantly reminding her that she should find herself a husband.

French restaurant 

It is an expensive place for food and drinks. David Amos brought her here for their dinner date. The hilarious incident during which David Amos and the waiter react to the captivating perfume Anna uses, takes place here.
Both David and the waiter try to win Anna‟s love and they fight over her here. 

Aunt Mimi’s apartment

Aunt Mimi lives in a nice little apartment on the other side of town. She wants to help Anna find a suitable husband.

Moral Values

• •  We must not be blinded by physical attraction. 
  •  Appreciate ourselves for who we are and not depend on the supernatural. 
  •  Do not be deceived by flattery/ We should appreciate true/sincere love. 
  •  We should respect the opinions of our elders. 
  •  Hard work is the key to success. 
  •  We must not compromise our dignity.
  • We must not be too proud of our looks
  • We must not look down at other people