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The Fruitcake Special. By, Dharshini Radhakrishnan D 20111047767. Menu Page. Author Summary Plot Setting Characters Language and Style Themes Moral Value Exercises Glossary. Author. Frank Brennan
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The Fruitcake Special By, DharshiniRadhakrishnan D 20111047767
Menu Page Author Summary Plot Setting Characters Language and Style Themes Moral Value Exercises Glossary
Author Frank Brennan • Frank Brennan and his wife are novel writers and managed to publish many of their novels through Mills and Boon, a publishing house that publishes romance novels.
Summary Anna, a chemist who works at the Amos cosmetics factory in New Jersey, USA is trying to discover a new perfume. One day she mixes a slice of the fruitcake given by her Aunt Mimi into a mixture of flowers. It smells wonderful so she tried it on her. Not too long, her boss, David Amos who is a handsome English guy who had never said any nice thing to ordinary girl like her asked her out for dinner with him.
That would be because of fruitcake. Anna realizes now that the perfume is responsible for his strange behavior. At dinner, there was a competition between David Amos and the waiter for her attention. The night ended with both men hitting each other and Sabina (David’s girlfriend) punching David.
Anna later found out more about the fruitcake from her Aunt Mimi and realized that it was made by an old woman who had just passed away. Later David apologized and offered Anna a raise ascompensation. Anna feels insulted and quit her job. Then, the pizza man appears at her door with pizza and a box of flowers. He is now the owner of his pizza company. Anna decides to go out with him. LATER..
Plot • Anna is a chemist at Amos Cosmetics factory. She creates a special fruitcake perfume. She calls her perfume ‘The Fruitcake Special’. Anna applies the perfume without realizing that whoever uses the perfume will attract any man to fall in love with her. • Her boss, David Amos who has never showed any interest in her invites her to dinner that night just after walking past her. • At home, Anna’s mother and her Aunt Mimi are discussing her marriage. They were talking about Armstrong but Anna was not interested.
At dinner, David treated Anna as usual- as just anemployee. She goes to the washroom and applies the perfume. As she walks past a waiter, the waiter fell in love with her. David too showed the same reaction. Anna then realizes that it is all due to the ‘fruitcake special’. Sabina, David’s girlfriend became furious with David’s behavior. The waiter started to sing for Anna and soon after there was confusion. Sabina punches David and then David and the waiter fought with each other.
Anna is eager to find out about the fruitcake. She visits her Aunt Mimi who tells her that the cake was made by an old lady who used special ingredients. Unfortunately, it is impossible to find the old woman as she has passed away recently. • When Anna returns to work, David was there with Sabina. She meets Sabina with Mr. Amos in his office and Sabina insults her. Sabina tells Anna that David will give Anna a sum of money to compensate for his behavior. In anger, Anna splashesthe perfume on Sabina. She then resigns from the company and finds a new job in the factory that produces Intrigue. Anna feels insulted and quit her job.
At home, Armstrong visits her wit pizza and flowers. He told her he had fallen in love with her since her first delivered pizza to her house. Now that he has his own pizza company, he is ready to go out with her. Anna accepts Armstrong.
Time • The events happened within a week
Place • Amos Cosmetics Factory, New Jersey, USA. • Anna’s home. • A French restaurant (Dinner between Anna and her boss) • Aunt Mimi’s apartment (Anna visited her Aunt Mimi)
Anna • She is 27-year old simple looking chemist. • She works at Amos Cosmetics factory. • She is rather sensible. • She realizes that her boss would not be attracted to a simple girl like her.
David Amos Anna’s Mother Aunt Mimi The Waiter Sabina Armstrong
David Amos • He is a shrewdbusinessman. He is an English man who is rich and handsome. He is the owner of Amos Cosmetics Factory, a factory that manufactures and sells perfumes. He has been going out with beautiful young models. However, his current girlfriend is Sabina.
Anna’s Mother • She is rather caring and is very eager to find a groom for Anna. She recommends Armstrong, the pizza man as she feels he has ‘nice eyes’.
Aunt Mimi • She is a helpful and caring person. She is also very keen to find Anna a nice husband. She buys a special fruitcake for Anna.
The Waiter • He works at a French restaurant. He is attracted to Anna when she dabbed the fruitcake perfume and competes with Amos for her attention.
Sabina • She is the current girlfriend of David Amos. She is young and pretty. She works as a model. She gets angry when David pays attention to Anna.
Armstrong • He is a very hardworking man. He delivers pizzas and fell in love with Anna. Soon, he becomes the owner of a pizza company. He is returns to ask Anna out.
First Person Point of View • The story uses the first person ‘I’ and it is told from Anna’s point of view. • Through Anna’s description, the readers get the insight into the feelings of the characters.
Imagery • The fruitcake ingredient makes the sophisticated perfume smell like a glorious mix of all natural, delicious, inviting and warm smells (like fresh bread and flowers and sunshine all mixed together).
Simile The story has several interesting and funny similes: • he looked like a dog who had just found a bone • mouths wide open like a couple of fish. • Why did everybody sound like bad movies tonight?
Themes The effects of a perfume • The fragrance of a perfume has a very strong appeal. Men are attracted to ladies who are wearing it. Thus, it is popular amongst women.
Keeping one’s dignity • Anna rejects both David Amos and the waiter as they are not genuinelyconcerned about her. She has integrityand 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 treated her.
Moral Values • Appreciateourselves for who we are and not depend on the supernatural- The special ingredient in the fruitcake that was mixed in the perfume did not bring happiness to Anna because she was attracted the wrong type of men. • We should appreciate true love- Armstrong who has fallen in love with Anna when he was only a pizza delivery man, withholds his declaration of love until he is successful. Although Anna did not like Armstrong at first, she realizes that he truly loves her and would be a suitable life partner.
Hard work is the key to success- Anna works very hard. She spends long hours at her working place. This is the reason why her boss wanted her to continue working for him. Armstrong worked very hard to become successful. Finally he became the owner of a pizza company. He asked Anna out on a date when he had achieved his goal. • We must notcompromiseour dignity- Anna has integrity and has pride in her own worth. She walked out of her job when she was insulted with the boss’ offer.
EXERCISES.. Exercise 1 Exercise 2 Exercise 3 Exercise 4
Exercise 1 • Who does Anna fall in love with? • David Amos • Armstrong • The Waiter b) Who is Anna? • Sales Assistant • Model • Chemist
c) How old is Anna? • 25 • 26 • 27 d) Where did Anna work before resigning her job as a chemist? • Avon Cosmetics Factory • Amos Cosmetics Factory • Asus Cosmetic Factory
Exercise 2 • Why did Anna’s mother recommend her to get married with Armstrong? • He is a hardworking boy • Anna’s mother loved pizza • He has attractive physical attribute • How many times did Armstrong ask Anna out? • 1c. 3 • 2
Where is Amos’ factory located? • New Jersey • Newcastle • New York • Why did Anna quit her job in Amos Cosmetic Factory? • Anna was insulted by David • Anna was insulted by Sabina • Anna was insulted by David’s office staff
Exercise 3 • Below are the moral values from this story, EXCEPT? • Appreciate ourselves for who we are and depend on the supernatural • We should appreciate true love • Hard work is the key to success • Which of the words below are BESTto describe the smell of the perfume? • Fresh bread A. I & II • Flowers B. III & IV • Cheese C. II & III • Shoe
The author of this short story is ________. • Frank Brendan • Frank Bernam • Frank Brennan • Who gave Anna the fruitcake? • Aunty Meme • Aunty Mimi • Aunty Sally
Exercise 4 • Who is the main character in this short story? • The Fruitcake • Aunt Mimi • Anna b) A mixture of _________ produced ‘The Fruitcake Special’. • Fruitcake & Chocolate • Fruitcake & Flowers • Fruitcake & Perfume
Which one from the following types of cake did Aunt Mimi gave Anna? • Cheese Cake • Fruitcake • Chocolate Cake • The new factory where Anna worked produces________. • Intrigue • Entrigue • intrique
Glossary • Appeal • Temptation, attract • Appreciate • Be grateful, glad or pleased about something • Compensation • Payment, damages, reparation 4. Compromise • Negotiate, cooperate, give in
Concerned • Worried, disturbed • Dabbed • Touched gently with something soft/moist • Declaration • Statement, announcement • Eager • Enthusiastic, excited, impatient • Employee • Worker, staff
Fragrance • Scent, smell • Furious • Angry, mad, irate • Genuinely • Authentically, actually, really • Glorious • Magnificent, wonderful • Insight • An understanding of something
Insulted • Offended, upset • Integrity • Honesty, reliability • Keen • Devoted, intense, wholehearted • Manufactures • Producers, creators • Pride • Honor, self-respect, dignity
Recommends • Suggests, proposes • Sensible • Rational, wise • Shrewd • Sharp, smart, clever 22. Sophisticated • Complicated 23. Splashes • Splatters, sprays 24. Supernatural • Paranormal, mystical