The Ham Shows All
"...writing a meal scene is so difficult, and so inherently uninteresting, that there really needs to be some compelling reason to include one in the story. And that reason has to do with how characters are getting along. Or not getting along" (Foster 8).
This passage reminded me of the first time I watched the most recent version of the film "Pride and Prejudice." There are quite a few meal scenes in the film; however I never considered why they set certain conversations around the dinner table. After watching the movie with the director commentary, however, I was able to more deeply understand exactly what the director, the producers, and the prop and set designers were trying to portray. During one scene when the pompous preacher Mr. Collins asks Elizabeth Bennet to marry him, there is a huge ham on the table. The director mentions that he loves the placement of the ham because it shows Mr. Collin's crude and unromantic nature. At first I thought that people do not normally look at such seemingly trivial aspects of movies, but since then, I have always found myself looking for deeper and hidden meanings in elements in the settings of literature and movies. It is amazing what one can learn from a ham.
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Kayley Dardano on The Ham Shows All: Its amazing how much thought g
Stephanie Wytovich on The Ham Shows All: I can def. see what you mean b
Stephanie Wytovich on The Ham Shows All: Like some of the others said,
Lauren Miller on The Ham Shows All: Sorry, that should say *Huffle
Lauren Miller on The Ham Shows All: This entry immediately made my
angelica Guzzo on The Ham Shows All: I understand what your saying.
Maddie Gillespie on The Ham Shows All: You made an excellent correlat
Angela Palumbo on The Ham Shows All: Although, I have never seen Pr
Angela Palumbo on The Ham Shows All: I too understand what you mean
I too understand what you mean. There are so many movies that have dinner scenes that I am now reconsidering because of reading Foster's interpretation.
I too understand what you mean. There are so many movies that have dinner scenes that I am now reconsidering because of reading Foster's interpretation.
Although, I have never seen Pride and Prejudice, I can see what Erica means by the ham. Erica’s observation really sparked my thoughts about movie dinner sequences. The one the sticks out in my mind the most is the dinner scene aboard the Black Pearl on Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. I love this movie so much but never thought that the meal could be symbolic of anything. The meal in itself was very ceremonial. Elizabeth wore a dress, there was a candle at the table and there was enough food to feed an army of homless people. The excess display was hinting at the ceremonial nature of the rituals of the blood sacrifice. The ritual was over the top with the chanting and the speech that Barbossa gave. Also during the dinner scene, Elizabeth is ravenously hungry when she begins eating though she eats very daintily at first. She does not trust Captain Barbossa and so is reluctant to eat at first, although her hunger eventually overtakes her. When this happens, she bites into a big, juicy, revolting looking leg of some mystery meat. As she bites into it, it makes squishing noises that are enough to make the person watching the movie’s stomach turn. This display is a hint of foreshadowing at what’s to come. Barbossa then offers Elizabeth an apple. Elizabeth makes a connection to Snow White’s poisoned apple. Although the apple was not poisoned, she knew that she was not able to trust Barbossa. Shortly afterward, she attacked Barbossa because she feared for her life. This meal sets the tone for the rest of the movie. Barbossa cannot be trusted. The apple was also symbolic that things are not always as they seem. The apple was not poisoned like Elizabeth thought as the Black Pearl’s crew was not a live as they appeared. Only the moon could show them for what they really were.
You made an excellent correlation between books and movies. Everyone can rattle of a list of books that have been adapted into movie format. However, directors, producers, alongwith the prop and set designers, act in lieu of a single author. They want to get things just right so that even little Jimmy who only goes to the movies once in a while (or catches one on TV) will associate related items of scenes subconciously. There are deeper meanings to be found within the film of movies as well as the pages of books and you produced a great example of such. Besides, I already really wanted to see the remake of “Pride and Predjudice.”
I understand what your saying. Before reading this chapter, I hadn't realized what roles food played in movies and literature.
This entry immediately made my memory do a rewind and think back on all the meal scenes I have seen or read in every book and movie. The most obvious that popped out to me was Harry Potter. In both the books and the movies, the most important events usually come from the dining hall. All news (good or bad) will arrive during a meal. This can then set the tone for the rest of the chapter or even change the character's mood for the rest of the day. Even the way the tables are set up in the hall--Gryffindor, Hugglepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin all eat with their respective House members. Now, even though this is a tradition, those students probably would have sat with the same people even if they weren't assigned to certain tables. Foster mentions how we never eat with people we do not like. Would you ever see a Gryffindor eating with a Slytherin? Most likely not.
Thank you for a such a thought-provoking entry!
Sorry, that should say *Hufflepuff*. I tried to edit the comment before it published it but it was too late. :(
Like some of the others said, awesome correlation between book and movie! It really made me think back to the Da Vinci Code and the whole discrepency about the Holy grail. I mean the Last Supper was one of the most famous meal scenes in history so the symbolism and idols within it truly make the story.
I can def. see what you mean between the correlation of the ham in the movie. In fact, your entry made me think of the Da Vinci Code. I mean the Last Supper is probably the most famous meal scene in history, so when you honestly pay attention to the symbolism and idols, you have to admit that it makes you think. Awesome entry!
Its amazing how much thought goes into writing a story set that the dinner table. What messages are being produced in stories that I have simply not been aware of. It’s about appealing to the subconscious of the reader. I wouldn’t have thought to deeply about the ham showing “unromantic nature” though I would recognize it as kind of odd. When I write those kinds of signs that describe a character slip my mind but now I will be more aware of them.
Isn't it interesting to see what they do in movies to really hit home whatever ideas they have. It is exactly the same in books. The more I study film and literature the more I see that directors and authors are very similar.