Babette's Feast Analysis

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3. Explain: “An artist is never poor”

The line “an artist is never poor” that Babette says near the end of the film is another wonderful line from the film with so much meaning in just five words. What I think she means when she says this is that an artist does not measure his or her wealth with material things. What matters to an artist, as she said is that “all an artist wants is the chance to do her art well.” This means that for an artist it is more important to focus on the impact the he can make with his art to the people around him than the material possessions that he can gain; and we see Babette do exactly this. She sacrifices the money she won from the lottery so that she can transform the lives of the people around her through her art. This, in the end, is what an artist values more than anything else.

4. The significance of the role of the General

I think without the General, the feast would not have been nearly the same. Prior to the feast, the townspeople agreed upon themselves to ignore the sensations they may have during the feast as they would be betraying their religious beliefs. However during the feast, the General could not stop himself from commenting and praising all the dishes and drinks that were being served to him. It was because of the General’s comments that the townspeople eventually surrendered to the pleasure of the feast. In a way, the General showed the townspeople how to dine, and in the process how to enjoy life. The General opened up their minds to the reality that they can have a balance of physical and spiritual pleasures in their lives. Because of him, the feast allowed the townspeople to transform and discover each of themselves in their own way, and at the same time realize that life is meaningful, worthwhile, and beautiful.

5. How would you characterize the film when you compare it with American movies?

There is no doubt that you can never mistake an American movie with a European movie and vice versa. They are just two completely different styles of film making. I have grown accustomed to the fast-paced action packed movies of Hollywood but now after seeing a European film, I feel as if I have made the mistake of never giving European films a chance before. The slow-pace of European films is really very different from the traditional American movies, but at the same time the beauty of seeing the characters as they are with no special effects or camera tricks to distract you, and the simplicity of the dialogue and cinematography, one can really focus on the story itself and see how it unfolds. This allows the viewer to truly appreciate every scene as the meaning and significance of each unfolds.

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