January 6, 2011 - Babette's Feast

Babette's Feast

1) Jutland is a peninsula that is comprised of Denmark and northern Germany. Denmark is in the 3 northernmost regions, and the southernmost are part of Germany. A large naval battle took place in Jutland during World War I, in which both sides, England and Germany, suffered major losses. It is a true part of Scandinavia. In Babette's Feast, they primarily spoke Danish (when they weren't being dubbed over into English).

2) There were many close ups of aromatic and pungent things, like fish hanging, a large slice of French cheese, or a boiling pot of turtle soup that almost allowed to recall the specific odors and aromas associated with those items. There are also beautiful scenes of sunsets and landscapes that are very visually appealing.

3) When Babette says, "I made them happy" she means to say that she could finally unite these disgruntled old men and women. She was unhappy when she saw that they argued and quarreled with each other, she wanted to create peace among them once more. So with her lottery win, she decided to use all the money to buy and ship the food to Jutland, where she served the meal of a lifetime.

4) The congregation that congregated at the sisters' house were always bickering and fighting with each other without a trace of forgiveness, but there redemption came in the form of a flawless meal with priceless wine. After that, they joined together again as they gathered around a well and sang together like brothers and sisters.

5) As Christians in a physical world, the material things are simply part of reality: an unavoidable aspect of what makes up our actuality. We cannot be expected to choose one or the other, but we can invest in more immaterial parts of life and less in the material.

6) ...As the ageless Babette continued living with the two sisters, each growing older every day that passed them, she began taking more and more care of them. The two sisters became more dependent on their French friend. But they had realized that regardless of customs or differences, that Babette was a true friend who genuinely cared for them, and had become more than a servant. She was loyal. To Babette, the sisters filled a familiar void that had distressed her all these years.