THE FRUITCAKE SPECIAL

PLOT

by Frank Brennan

1. Anna was a 27-year-old chemist who was trying to design/create a new perfume at Amos Cosmetics factory. 2. She mixed a piece of fruitcake her mother had packed for her with a perfume mix and put some of the mix on the back of her hand. Her boss, David Amos happened to pass by her and suddenly called her name. 3. He started complimenting that she looked terrific and became attracted to the smell of the fruitcake perfume mix on her. Mr Amos finally asked her out for dinner that night. Anna was surprised. 4. Back home later, Anna met her mother and Aunt Mimi. Both of them had been trying to persuade Anna to find a man and get married. Her mother had liked Armstrong, the pizza delivery man while Aunt Mimi wanted to introduce Anna to another man. 5. Not interested in any of the men and wanting to stop the two women, Anna told them that she will be going out with her boss later that night. They were surprised but pleased. 6. Although she was not attracted to Mr Amos, she wanted to know why he had changed and found her attractive. She dressed herself and put on a perfume called Intrigue that she had been wearing lately. She thought Mr Amos was attracted to the smell of it. 7. Mr Amos came as promised and Annas mother and Aunt Mimi became excited upon seeing him. However, he appeared quieter and less excited. He took Anna to an expensive French restaurant. 8. While waiting for dinner, he confessed that he was not really attracted to her and the dinner was just a reward for all her hard work. Anna was angry and annoyed. She excused herself to the ladies room and decided to put on more Intrique but only had the fruitcake perfume mix she made earlier. Nevertheless, she put it on, using half a bottle.

9. On the way back to her table, she almost bumped into a waiter, who gave her a strange look. Back at the table, Mr Amos smelt the fruitcake perfume and immediately changed again. This time he confessed he loves her very much and called her darling. 10. Only then Anna realised that it was the fruitcake perfume (her fruitcake special) that made him attracted to her. She was then called to the lounge telephone. The waiter that also smelt it earlier called her from another phone nearby, confessing that he loves her. 11. Back again at her table, Mr Amos latest girlfriend, Sabina; had joined him. Suddenly, Mr Amos told Sabina that he loves Anna. At the same time, the waiter who called her earlier came and sang a love song loudly while playing a guitar. Sabina hit Mr Amos and a fight/brawl broke out between Sabina, Mr Amos and the waiter. 12. Anna quickly left/fled the scene and decided to skip work the next day. Early the next morning, she visited Aunt Mimi, who was the one that gave the fruitcake to her mother. Aunt Mimi told Anna that she actually bought it from an old lady at the market. The old lady had seven husbands before. However, she had passed away a week ago. Anna wanted to find out the secret ingredient in the fruitcake that makes men attracted to it. 13. When she returned to work two days later, she was asked to see Mr Amos immediately. In his office, Sabina was also there, next to Mr Amos who had a black eye. He apologised for saying he loves Anna and Sabina added that as a rich man, Mr Amos could not possibly fall in love with Anna. They offered her some cash as compensation. 14. Angry/Furious for being humiliated, Anna splashed the rest of the fruitcake perfume mix she had on Sabina and walked away. She quit her job at the same time. 15. After that, Anna went to work for the factory where Intrique was made. One day, Armstrong came to visit Anna at home. He was now the owner of his own pizza company. He told her he had fallen in love with her before but wanted to be successful before dating her. Anna finally accepted him as she found him to be quite attractive.

THEMES
Physical attraction versus true love Search for happiness Determination Social classes

CHARACTERS
NAME PHYSICAL
- 27 years old - a chemist - works at Amos Cosmetics Factory - plain-looking / ordinary looking

PERSONALITY
- hardworking/diligent & dedicated - intelligent - realistic/sensible - judgemental - curious - determined/persistent - intuitive - cautious - eager to find a husband for Anna - excitable - considerate busybody/nosy/inquisitive concerned caring/helpful excitable warm

SETTING
PLACE Amos Cosmetics factory, New Jersey - Annas home - French restaurant - Aunt Mimis apartment - 4 days ~ weeks

Anna

TIME

Momma

- Annas mother

SOCIAL BACKGROUND - middle class to high class - urbanites/town folk

MESSAGES / MORAL VALUES

Physical looks do not guarantee true love (Always look beyond physical appearances) Be realistic in our expectations Be determined and work hard to achieve our dreams ( Be diligent ) Be brave to try out new things

Aunt Mimi

- Annas aunt

David Amos

POINT OF VIEW
First person point of view (Anna) I

Annas boss head of Amos Cosmetics Englishman rich young, dark & handsome has an expert nose for perfumes

- attracted to beautiful women/young models - arrogant/proud - self-centred/egoistic - usually does not pay attention to ordinary/plain-looking people

Sabina

TONE & MOOD

Exciting Elements of comedy/humour, mystery and romance

- David Amos latest girlfriend - a model - beautiful - owner of Armstrongs Peachy Pizzas - rather short - quite good looking - in love with Anna

self-centred/egoistic jealous possessive dominant

Armstrong

courageous sincere hard-working successful

LANGUAGE & STYLE

Simple & direct language

IDIOMS - cant mind her own business (pg34) = a busybody - singing..at the top of his voice (pg 46) = singing very loudly - she didnt know whether to laugh or cry (pg46) = not knowing how to react to a particular situation IRONY - Anna went back to Amos Cosmetics to find out the secret ingredient in her fruitcake special perfume. However, in her anger, she splashed the rest of the perfume on Sabina and quit her job, thus losing the opportunity to find out the secret ingredient/chemical. - In the beginning, Anna was not interested in Armstrong because he was only a pizza delivery man. Ironically, she ended up liking him after he came to confess his love for her, and he had become the owner of a pizza company.

LITERARY DEVICES
SIMILES - Its like fresh bread and flowers and sunshine all mixed together (pg32) - their eyes and mouths wide open like a couple of fish (pg37) - he looked like a dog who had just found a bone (pg41) - His words were like conversation from a bad movie (pg42) - Why did everybody sound like bad movies tonight? (pg42) - Sabina said my name as if it were a dirty word (pg45) SYMBOLS - fruitcake - perfume - French restaurant

= mystery = attraction = expensive, elegant, high class, romance

IMAGERY - a perfume called Intrigue (pg38) = image of fascinating/mysterious qualities - expensive French restaurant (pg39) = elegant, expensive and a meeting place for a romantic dinner for two - his eyes shone and he smiled until I thought his face would break in two (pg41) = he was very happy and smiled very widely METAPHOR - hearing wedding bells (pg39) = getting married / marriage - Romeo (pg43) = a man in love / a man wooing a woman

SYNOPSIS
Anna, a single, plain/ordinary looking 27-year-old chemist created a special perfume which can attract men. The perfume made her boss, David Amos attracted to her and asked her out for dinner. Back home, Annas mother and Aunt Mimi persuaded Anna to get married soon. They recommended 2 men but Anna was not interested. Later, during dinner with her boss, Anna discovered it was the Fruicake Special perfume that made him and a waiter at the restaurant to be attracted to her. Sabina, Mr Amos latest girlfriend became jealous when both men confesssed their love for Anna infront of her. The next day, Anna found out from Aunt Mimi that an old woman baked the special fruitcake but she had died a week ago. When she returned to work 2 days later, Mr Amos and Sabina offered her money as compensation for his behaviour. An angry and annoyed Anna splashed the rest/remainder of the Fruitcake Special on Sabina and quit her job. After that, Anna worked in another cosmetics company. Some time later, Armstrong, who used to deliver pizza to Annas home and now successfully own his own pizza company; came to confess his love for her. Anna finally accepted him as her romantic partner.

Exercise for The Fruitcake Special

1. How did Anna create the Fruitcake Special perfume? 2. Why did Mr David Amos suddenly became interested in Anna? 3. Why did Anna felt confused after Mr Amos asked her out for dinner? 4. Why is Annas mother and Aunt Mimi busy looking for a man for Anna? 5. Why did Sabina hit David in the restaurant? 6. Describe the effect of the Fruitcake Special perfume on : a) men : b) women : 7. Who made the fruitcake? Why was it made? 8. In your opinion, which perfume does Anna like better; the Fruitcake Special or Intrigue? Give a reason for your answer. 9. If you are a woman like Anna, would you use the Fruitcake Special perfume to attract the man that you like? Explain your reason.