Character Analysis

Major:

Vianne Rocher:
Vianne Rocher is a young woman who comes to the isolate French town of Lansquenet. She is a single mother with one daughter, Anouk, and the novel makes no mention of the father. At first she is rejected and treated as an intruder. She moves into a derelict bakery and transforms it into La Céleste Praline, a small chocolaterie. Her chocolate proves to be a pathway into the hearts of many of the residents as the town is split into those who side with Vianne verses those who side with Reynaud. Her first friend is Armande Voizin who claims she sees Vianne for who she really is, some sort of witch who can read people’s minds. Later on, Vianne befriends the River people that Francis considers enemies and even makes love to their leader, Roux. He is the only man presence in her life. Her influence reunites Luc and his grandmother Armande after being so apart due to the shallowness of his mother, Caro, who believes Armande is a bad influence. Vianne appears as a calm and confident woman but beneath that lies insecurity and fear. She must overcome her habit of changing with the wind and must face the Black Man that has kept her on the run her entire life. She believes everyone has their own Black Man and that hers is Reynaud. She must face him in a silent, mental battle throughout her stay in Lansquenet. The cliché ‘this town ain’t big enough for the both of us’ provides the perfect summary of the novel as by the end of it, Reynaud runs off and Vianne finds her home.

Francis Reynaud:
Francis Reynaud, like any religious man in a small town, has a big influence on all the people of Lansquenet. His suspicions begin with the arrival of Vianne and Anouk and his initial strategy is to try and befriend the enemy. He offers her help in repairing the bakery but she refuses politely, emphasizing that she has got it all under control. He hopes that people will realize that she should be evicted on their own in fear of tarnishing his reputation. His plan works at first as concerned mothers begin to forbid their children from spending time with Anouk, as she plants wild ideas in to their heads. Also business is not running very smoothly at the chocolate shop and Reynaud begins to believe that it is just a matter of time before they leave with the changing of the wind. Despite it being Lent, Vianne and her chocolate maneuver their way into some of the towns-people’s hearts. Reynaud’s patience nears empty as Vianne supports the Muscat break-up by giving Josephine a room to stay in until she finds somewhere on her own. He reaches boiling point when madness and rage take over his mind and he breaks into La Celeste Praline the morning before Mass and gobbles down chocolate after over a month of fasting. As people head to church in the morning, they see him through the window of the chocolate shop, face covered in chocolate. His reputation is tarnished and respect vanished. He runs away and is never heard of again.

Armande Voizin:
Armande Voizin is an eighty-year old woman who is full of life. She lives alone and faces constant criticism from her daughter. Like many women her age, stubbornness has kicked in as she refuses any medical care and is appalled by the thought of being sent to a retirement home. She has many health issues with diabetes and is forbidden to eat chocolate and to drink alcohol. Her mentality, however, is one with no restrictions. Her desire to live every second to the fullest causes constant bickering with her daughter Caro and keeps her from having a stable relationship with her grandson Luc. With the opening of Vianne’s chocolate shop, Armande begins to live again. Her sarcasm and perkiness are two very attractive qualities in her personality. She is a riot to be around. That explains why she manages to get close to Luc as soon as they begin meeting again. She is worldly and inquisitive, and with Vianne’s chocolate shop as the perfect meeting place, she and Luc hit it off and become close again. She provides good support for Vianne and acts as a foil through which Vianne evolves and faces her fears. Armande and Vianne share many aspects, mainly Reynaud’s hatred of them and their friendship with the River People. Her contribution ends the night after her 81st birthday. She hosts a dinner party with all her friends and catering organized by Josephine and Vianne. She plans a timely death as she does not take her insulin shots that night. She tells Vianne a few days earlier but has her mind set already. She passes away peacefully in her sleep.

Josephine Muscat:
Josephine Muscat first appears as a nervous introvert. She is quiet and slumps when she walks. She is gossiped about and pitied throughout Lansquenet as the fact that her husband physically abuses her is one of the worst-kept secrets around. She does not mutter a word about it and her thoughts are so cloudy that even Vianne, with all her power, fails to understand what lies in her head. With time, Josephine begins to talk to Vianne more and begins to spend more time in the chocolate shop. Vianne’s influence and advice eventually result in Josephine leaving her husband Paul and moving in with Vianne in the chocolate’s shop spare room. The more time she spends with Vianne, the more Josephine’s personality blossoms. She now walks with her head held high and has substituted her dark wardrobe for a new, more colorful one. She speaks with an audible, confident voice and can now look people in the eyes. A spark is felt between her and Roux as they indulge in conversation and become closer when she moves to the chocolate shop and he settles in Lansquenet. She even faces Paul one last time on her own. That proves to be an act of stupidity as he beats her up before Vianne and Reynaud’s intervention. She is transformed from the average, abused housewife to the confident, independent female as the novel develops.

Minor:

Luc Clairmont:
Son of Claire and grandson of Armande, this young boy is very quiet and obedient. He stutters when he speaks but not when he reads. He has been brain-washed by his mother who has made him an obedient servant. She forbids him from spending time with his grandmother in fear of her influence. The rebel inside him, however, leads him to spending some time with his grandmother and they soon become close again. He is a well-educated boy with a mature mind on his shoulders. With the influence of his grandmother, he is no longer contained and held in captive by his mother.

Paul Muscat:
Paul is a short-tempered man who fails to control his rage. He owns a café and runs it with his wife Josephine. He berates her throughout the novel and physically abuses her. When he finally loses her, he enters a phase of depression and tries to win her back. He drinks and shuts down the café due to his lack of energy and sobriety. When he gets the chance to confront her one on one again, he goes back to the same old person he was and beats her up. He does not change throughout the novel.

Claire Clairmont:
Claire Clairmont is a typical, superficial, brown nosed woman. She worries about her mother but is also embarrassed by her. She has a good heart but her mind is too hollow to show it. She is a stereotypical figure in the novel and only serves as a foil to develop her son, Luc’s, personality.