2. Senses are tweaked in many ways by this film. There are plenty of places where the conditions outside are evident (a setting sun, or particularly cold weather, for example), which appeals to our ability to appreciate the beauty (in the case of the sunset) or empathize with the plight of a General who has to ride through such cold weather.
In another scene, a piano note perfectly syncs with a candle blowing out, which further illustrates that the candle is noteworthy. Unlike modern movies, Babette's Feast has a very sparse soundtrack, and thus the music of the soundtrack is easily noticed. As a result, the soundtrack is informative of the mood of the scene. Furthermore, in the absence of the music, other sounds become obvious - the wind blowing outside, for example, or the fire crackling.
Food is most significantly used in the movie. Through watching the characters react to the meal they eat, the audience can appreciate the meal themselves. Great care is taken to show various ingredients used, and comments (especially by the general) demonstrate how truly special the meal is.
3. Babette is suggesting that there is a link between the physical and metaphysical. Food and drink, the physical medium, was used as a tool to obtain happiness - something non-physical.
4. Babette very clearly comes across as a Jesus figure in Babette's Feast. She had a strange but planned arrival and a great life before coming to Jutland, which went unrecognized by the people she was then surrounded by. Babette took everything she had and gave it to her friends. She humbled herself and essentially sacrificed herself for the benefit of her friends, and her efforts originally went under-appreciated. However, by the end of the film, Babette's friends were in awe of her abilities. Babette gave more than anyone could have dreamed of, and also brought reconciliation among the friends.
5. Christians have to make a choice between the material and immaterial, but they don't have to give one up. As Christians, we are called to have faith and have that rule our lives. Romans 6:12 makes it clear that we are not to give in to the sinful desires of the body. And yet, it is very clear that the material world is of extreme importance. Although we cannot serve two masters, there is plenty of evidence that the physical world is important. God created the world, and then recognized that there are unique struggles therein. Thus, Jesus joined us in order to experience the physical world - but while he was here Jesus used the physical realm for his ministry. Healing people was as important as demon exorcism. I think most significantly, however, is the way Jesus used food in his ministry - feeding thousands, eating with many people, and most of all, leaving us the instructions for the sacrament, which, by use of bread and wine, necessarily keeps us grounded in physical reality.
6. As an afterwards, hopefully the sisters would put more trust in Babette. At first they were very skeptical of her intentions and her abilities, both of which turned out to be extraordinary. Furthermore, the sisters would hopefully realize the importance of both service and food towards helping others. The sisters should also be more aware that they cannot always be the ones serving - sometimes they need to take a backseat and be served themselves.
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1. Cloves are native to eastern Indonesia, and is used in combination with many meats and fruits, as well as some beverages. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/cloves). More than 50% of the world's cloves are used by Indonesians, however, they primarily use cloves to flavor cigarettes. Cloves are also a common ingredient in many spice blends. (http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Syzy_aro.html)
2. Cinnamon is grown in tropical regions, with the highest-regarded varieties coming from Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Cinnamon is used on many foods including most fruits and some meats. (http://www.food.com/library/cinnamon-324)
3. The allspice tree is native to central America and Mexico, and is grown only in warm regions of the Western hemisphere. It was previously known as Pimienta, because Spanish explorers in the New World confused it with black pepper in the 16th century. However, the name allspice is due to the perception the Pimienta combines the flavor of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allspice) (http://www.floridata.com/ref/P/pime_dio.cfm)
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