The question became, knowing why they got together for Dinner, what they were going to do about the crime and their sons. Serge, brash and single minded, decided, on his own, that the only way to save his son, Rick, was to fold his candidacy for the prime minister of Holland. The rightful argument by the rest was that this was not his sole decision to make. We finally know why Babette had been crying before she and Serge entered the restaurant, because he had only just told her his intention. Serge was resolute in his resolution and had set up to have a press conference the next day to announce that he would no longer be running. This is the major conflict for the last 80 or so pages, which oddly enough ends in ... alcohol.
Serge and Babette leave the restaurant to head to the 'ordinary cafe' where the conference was to be held the next day. Paul and Claire had bluntly stated that he had silently appropriated THEIR cafe, as they were the ones who went their regularly. Is Serge pushing too hard to appear normal? Here is another example of an invasion of space, just like Serge sitting in Claire's chair. In some ways it is irrational but at the same rate we can relate to Paul and Claire and how they feel about Serge using their cafe. After they leave, Paul and Claire know that Serge will not change his mind and decide for drastic action. What is something that could keep Serge from holding that press conference the next day? Claire's initial idea had been to have Paul do it since Paul has a violent medical syndrome and hasn't taken his pills since he saw the video. Paul responds that it would give the wrong impression. If Paul does it then Serge's idea that he has a violent brother is reinforced, however, if deliberate and smart Claire does it, Serge knows there is only purpose in the action. Claire heads after them into the cafe and Paul stays behind in the restaurant. Serge comes out on a stretcher and Claire comes out with the police after she smashed a bottle of alcohol on Serge's face. And so we get the digestif.
A parallel subject is Michel, Rick and Beau, the blood and the adopted. Beau blackmails Michel and Rick bringing the discussion of what a blood sibling would do. Paul notes that even if they refuse to speak to each other, blood siblings will still protect each other when life and death is brought into the mix. I think that the connection an adopted child has with the rest of the family depends on the adopted themselves. Obviously there are a myriad of ways that they can feel disconnected or separate from the rest, skin color, physical abilities, mental abilities, etc., but some character types might overcome that naturally. Seeing the disconnect and their parents, at least Michel's, understanding Rick and Michel relieve themselves of the blackmail by what can only be described as more crime. Basically, they are killing to hide a killing... Maybe at last they will be able to loose their initial crime, but at the cost of another life. There is an interesting conflict because we all cherish life to some degree, yet never really liked Beau, because of the way he was presented, so have Michel and Rick crossed a line?
Happiness, vagrants, prime minister, violence. Has this culminated in an AP worthy meal?
What are the types of things you look for in an AP novel?
journeys
sensory-meaning correlation
underlying message
recurrence
founding first scene or chapter
for AP students
usability
being memorable
not so simple as to show little analysis, at least somewhat of an iceberg
So. Journey, not so much, every example I can think of such as Paul going out to talk to Michel, feel like too much of a stretch to support. Sensory-meaning correlation, there is single noticeable one with garbage smell and violence. This comes from the garbage smell of the homeless women, and then at the end when Paul recalls beating up Michel's principal, who smelled like garbage. However, this seems to be the only one, colors and textures never really came up in the novel. Underlying message, perhaps a discussion on how to deal with or not to deal with your kid having committed a heinous crime. Recurrence, happiness and violence are the two things that appear regularly throughout The Dinner. As far as a change in view points about these two, there is none at all. Founding first scene or chapter, there is some hint at Paul's distaste of restaurants in Holland, and a whole lot about Serge, but nothing about violence or crime, or their kids, so not really. Usability, The Dinner has no lack of interesting points, as I have attempted to discuss throughout my other blog posts, but there is no real change from start to finish. It seems hard to me to try to use a novel on an AP Question 3 when none of the characters changed (the only arguable one would be the amount of violence referenced by Paul in say 50 page sections, but I'm attesting this to the author correlating his pills wearing off with when Paul talks about something violent he did). Being memorable, the key pieces about happiness, and their family conflict will probably last some time. Iceberg, not so much (see all above sentences of this paragraph).
Is it AP worthy? I'd say no, however, this would be a fantastic book club or discussion group book as there is so much to talk about and so many starting points for conversations. I would wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a thought provoking book.
Time to pay the check and head of to the cafe!
Doei!
