Alex Perkins' chocolat response

The prejudice displayed throughout the movie Chocolat by Joanne Harris puts the people in the small French town against each other and causes them to question the way they live. The town has a very strong sense of stiff religious morals. The mayor of the town Comte De Reynaud has a very clear view of what he wants, and uses the power of religion to mold the people into what he sees fit. There is one specific scene in the movie where the Priest is giving a sermon while the mayor mouths the words that he wants the people to hear. This is a prime example of the Comte’s use of religion to get what he wants. The issue of the taboo of chocolate in the town brings all sorts of problems. At first Vianne’s chocolate store opens with stocked shelves creating wide curiosity; however Comte is not pleased with the idea of indulging during Lent. He uses religion to turn the town against Vianne and her shop. The chocolate as a metaphor ties the people of the town together. When the people of the town are scared away by promise of there being evil in chocolate things start to heat up. Vianne is shunned by the town’s people and her daughter Anouk is made fun of at school. Many social issues lay a role in this. Vianne is thought of poorly not only because o the town’s current view on her business, but also because of the fact that she is not married and has a child. Both she and her shop becomes a magnet for those cast aside by the town.
When the river gypsies arrive, the Comte de Reynaud attempts to salvage the town and rid it of the gypsies. Just like they did against Vianne and her chocolate they label the visitors as evil and refrain from acknowledging them in any positive way. The social prejudices against the Gypsies are a further example of the quick judgment that the towns people have. Vianne however reaches out to the people and actually employs their leader Roux. Because of this she receives even more criticism from the people of the town. Many begin to think of her as traitor. The theme of chocolate is one thing that is able to bring the people together. The common love for the delicious creations in Vianne’s chocolate shop is something too strong for the Comte to control through his scare tactics. Vianne throws a birthday party for Madam Audel, an elderly woman who like Vianne is looked down upon by most of the town. Certain members of the town cannot resist the allure of the delicious food and begin to filter back into her shop. Raux the head of the Gypsies assisted Vianne and dined with the other towns people. After the party the group went down to the river bank for desert. They spent many hours there and dozed off. In the middle of the night they all awoke to the ships being burned. All of the guests at the party attempted to help put out the flames. The people of the town including the Comte were upset by the actions of Serge, a local drunk. Caunte begins to lose his mind due to his secretary letting him know that the town knew his wife wasn’t coming back and that he didn’t have to pretend anymore. This compromised his views and made his religious ideals hold less weight. He began to lose his mind and act very oddly. One night he breaks into Vianne’s shop and eats all the chocolate in the window, passing out in the display. The next morning the pastor and Vianne find him there and get him dressed for Easter Sunday. He had not yet written his sermon, and the priest writes his own sermon. The priest in his sermon says that it is ok to use some indiscretion in order to be happy. Immediately after the service the people of the town begin to be more open to the gypsies , and the prejudices of the town begin to lessen. Caunte even begins to eat chocolate.
The acceptance of the chocolate by all of the different factions in the town helps to draw them together and bring down their moral barriers. They begin to see each other more as the people who they are, and focus less on the differences between them.