THE FRUITCAKE SPECIAL

PLOT

Exposition

Anna, a 27 year-old lady, works in Amos Cosmetics Factory as a chemist who designs perfume for the company.

Conflict

Anna mixes pieces of fruitcake into the perfumes ingredients and dab it onto her hands. Surprisingly, Mr. Amos, her boss becomes attracted to her and invites her for a dinner and declares his love. In fact, the waiter at the restaurant also confessed her love to Anna even for the first sight.

Climax

At the restaurant, Sabina punches Mr. Amoss eye after he made his love confession to Anna. A fight starts between Mr. Amos, the waiter and Sabina. Anna leaves the restaurant immediately.

Falling action

Realizing the effects of the fruitcake, Anna tries to find out the secret recipes from Aunt Mimi. She tells her that the old lady has pass away. After two days of leaves, Anna goes back to work but being insulted by Mr. Amos and Sabina. Angrily, Anna throws the rest of the fruitcake special at Sabina and walks away.

Resolution

Anna resigns from Amos Cosmetic and accepts Armstrongs love, the pizza boy who now owns the company.

LITERARY DEVICES
1. Point of View This story is written from the first person point of view. The narrator is also the main character. The pronoun I is used. We see the events from Annas perspective. We can experience her thoughts and feelings. Through Annas description, the readers get the insight into the feelings of the characters. 2. Diction (the choice of words used in the story) a. Lighthearted/ humorous His eyes shone and he smiled until I thought his face would break into two (pg. 41) b. Casual use of slang Momma (pg. 31, 34, 35, 37, 38, 44, 48, 53, 57)

c. Use of clichs (overused expressions) e.g. Im crazy about you; (pg. 41) You are so beautiful (pg. 43)

d. Simple vocabulary; short dialogues; lots of exclamation marks (!); unfinished sentences (); use of italics (darling) to show emphasis and unexpected surprise e. American boss (pg. 32)

(iii) Simile The story has several interesting and funny similes: he looked like a dog who had just found a bone (pg. 41) mouths wide open like a couple of fish.(pg. 37) His words were like conversation from a bad movie. (pg. 42)

(iv)Stereotypes pretty young models; (pg. 32) Beautiful young model (pg. 45) rich and handsome employer; (pg. 32)

(v) Slapstick comedy ridiculous behavior of singing waiter; (pg. 46) silly fights (pg.46)

(vi)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 ( pg. 32)

SETTING
1. Amos Cosmetic factory in New Jersey, USA Anna works as a chemist designing new perfumes here.

2. Home Lives with her mother who is worried she is still single.

3. French restaurant The Dining Section o It is an expensive place for food and drinks. David Amos brought her here for their dinner date. The Ladies Room o Where she goes to release her anger towards Mr. Amos after his apologies her to invite her for a dinner. There, she put on the fruitcake special almost half of bottle. The Restaurant Lounge o Anna receives a phone call from the waiter who confesses his love towards Anna.

4. Aunt Mimis apartment o Aunt Mimi lives in a little apartment on the other side of the town.

TONE
The story is narrated in a humorous way

TIME

1. 20th Century o The whole setting taken place. 2. Office hour o The moment Anna dabs the fruitcake special on her hand and Mr. Amos asks her for a diner. o The moment Anna confronts Mr Amos and Sabina in Mr. Amos office. 3. At dinner time o Where the chaos happens. 4. In the morning o Where Anna looks for Aunt Mimi to get information about the fruitcake.

CHARACTER
A. Main Characters 1. Anna the narrator 2. David Amos Owner of Amos Cosmetics B. Minor Characters 1. Momma Narrators mother 2. Mimi Narrators aunt 3. Waiter at French restaurant The man who gets attracted to Anna once he bumps into Anna in the restaurant. 4. Sabina David Amos girlfriend 5. Armstrong The Pizza delivery man

CHARACTERAZATION
MAIN CHARACTERS A. Anna 1. Practical She is a practical lady because she does not think that something beyond her imagination could happen. She just being the way she is even something unexpected arose. For example when her boss suddenly ask for a date with her. Evidence in the text: Thinks her new invention smells nice but nothing more (p.32) Uses the same handbag she does for work on her date with David (p.38)

2. Sensible She also a sensible lady because she know who she is as an ordinary girl and not pretending to be someone else even she received a lot of attention from man. And try to find the reasons why all the man becoming like that when they facing with her. Evidence in the text: Knows she is ordinary-looking girls and not actually Davids type (p.34) Reminds the waiter to serve the lobster instead of being silly (p.43) Realizes the effect of the perfume on the waiter and ensure she does not walk by other man (p.44)

3. Innovative She is also an innovative lady because she tries to invent something new. Evidence in the text: Tries to concoct new perfumes (p.31)

4. Intelligent She is intelligent because she quickly realize why her arrogant boss started to hook on her was not because she is charming and attractive but because of something had happen. Evidence from the text: Realizes that the fruitcake perfume had an effect on her boss (p.41)

5. Observant She quiet as an observant lady because she does not just let her feeling controlled her action, she observes that men say one thing but mean another and notice what the real interest of her boss really like when talk about a women Evidence from the text Notices that her boss prefers pretty young models (p.32)

6. Curious She is feels with curiosity and her curiosity saved her, she becomes wondering why her boss who is usually unfriendly to her can become very attracted to her and also all other man she met Evidence from the text: Wants to know why David suddenly finds her attractive (p.38)

7. Determined Anna was determined to designed a good perfumes and when she knew the effect of the fruitcake special on men, she stayed at home to find out the truth about the fruitcake given by Aunt Mimi.

8. Integrity Anna portrayed integrity when she quit from her job at Amos Cosmetic Factory and also when she feels very angry and being humiliated by the offering of compensation by her boss.

B. David Amos 1. Not employee-friendly He is a kind of boss that only speaks to his employee at certain times only and even very hard to smile to others. He is also not knowing how to pleased his employee. Evidence from the text; Anna afraid to tell him how she made the new perfume as he might have laughed at her (p.32) David only speaks to his employees when he has complaints (p.34)

2. Superficial He is a superficial man when only concerned with apparent and obvious thing only. Evidence from the text: Prefers the company of beautiful young models (p.34) Looks at Annas body instead of her face when she returns to the table (p.41) 3. Impulsive He is also an impulsive man when he inclined to act on impulse rather than thought about it before taking action. Such as he hit the waiter as the waiter started to singing very loudly to Anna. Evidence from the text; Feebly explains to Anna that they would not be a good match, unlike him and Sabina (p.56) 4. Weak He also a weak man because he can easily being controlled by Sabina and obey what Sabina ask him to do when he offers Anna money rather than apologizing properly.

MINOR CHARACTERS A. Aunt Mimi Warm - Welcomes Annas visit even though she may have other interest at heart. Good hearted - Being very concerned for Annas future life and wanted to find her a good husband. Generous - always bring gifts when she visit Observant - tells Anna about her market experience and the people she met at the funeral (p.52)

B. Momma Loving and caring - still packs meals for Anna and gets well with her sister Aunt Mimi

C. Sabina Beautiful - She is a beautiful young model Dominant - She is quiet a queen control. Hot-headed - Hits David hard in the face when he proclaims love for Anna. Jealousy - Feels jealous when David asked Anna out

D. Armstrong Loveable - Fell in love with Anna at the first sight Hardworking - able to own a pizza company he work for before as a pizza delivery man. Determined - determined to improve his social and economic lives before trying to get close with Anna.

E. The Waiter Impulsive - He is just like David Amos that is impulsive and effusive in words and action after inhaling the Fruitcake Special. Bold - Told Anna how he felt towards her even it just the first time they met and there was David Amos as Annas date.

PERSONAL RESPONSE

As my personal response toward the story, I think the story is interesting and full of good moral values and encourage someone to be motivated, self-respects, integrity and also rational in taking action. The story also promoted on determination that someone should have to be a better person such as showed in changes of lives of The Pizza delivery man that able to own the company he works for before and able to win Annas heart and become her loving husband. Acceptance of our own physical appearance also being highlighted in this story, Anna realizes that David Amos and the waiter from the French restaurant drawn to her not because she is beautiful but because of the special perfume she is wearing. Therefore she is not easily lost controlled over herself and still realize that she is a normal ordinary woman, she knows her physical appearance and proud of it. And finally, her true love, Armstrong who falls in love for the first sight and the one who struggled to change his lives before declared his love over Anna. The thing that most important to know someone is we should focus on a persons characters rather than their physical appearance, the words dont judge a book based on its cover is best to be use here. We should try to know someone better first before make interpretation on them. The judgment made based on physical appearance is the worst judgment ever. Valuable qualities such as dignity, pride and principles should have in every human and it also should be the main focused when we looking for someone to be our future partner in live.