CHARACTERS

LUCY BECK
A young seventeen year old lady who got a job as a secretary at Ross and Banisters
Characteristics:
he is a young! shy! a low achiever! not co"#etent and highly $uali%ied and
insecure graduate o% secretarial studies&
'e(tual evidence:
Lucy Bec) was young and s"all and "ouse*coloured! easily overloo)ed&
he had a lonely +, level and a ty#ing s#eed that would "a)e a tortoise laugh&
Characteristics:
he has a very low sel% estee"! in%erior co"#le(! no con%idence and #essi"istic
'e(tual evidence:
he is wondering who will e"#loy her as she is aware o% her inade$uacies&
Lucy assu"es that there are "ore $uali%ied and brighter #eo#le than her who are
$uali%ied %or the job vacancy&
Characteristics:
he beca"e a"bitious! deter"ined and o#ti"istic to change her li%e style&
'e(tual evidence:
Lucy is tired o% being #oor and she is %ed u# with "acaroni cheese and ba)ed
beans& he is also sic) o% wearing second*hand clothes& he gathered her strength
and deter"ined to get a job to get out o% #overty&
Characteristics:
Lucy beco"es enthusiastic and a $uic) learner when she got a job& he also
beca"e courageous when she has to %ace the con%lict with the s#irit o% -iss Broo"&
'e(tual evidence:
Lucy got a job at Ross and Bannister! a s"all %ir" with a %actory just outside the
town& he is so e(cited so ca"e to her wor) #lace on -onday "orning! at ten to
nine and waited as the door to the o%%ice is closed& he %aces #roble"s when each
ti"e she ty#es! the word +./ER'YU0,12 a##ears on the #a#er& /hen she %inds
that it was the ghost o% -iss Broo"! she beca"e courageous and )ee# ty#ing and
li$uid the unwanted words and reached the end o% the letter by triu"#h&
Characteristics:
Lucy beca"e sy"#athetic! caring! insight%ul and understanding a%ter )nowing -iss
Broo"es history& he too) the initiative to loo) %or an a"icable solution&
'e(tual evidence:
Lucy is shoc)ed when she heard the news about -iss Broo"e %ro" 3arry 4ar)e&
he was %orced to sto# wor)ing a%ter she had been wor)ing %or %orty three years&
Lucy sy"#athi5es -iss Broo"e
and tells her that -r Bannister is only acting out o% concern as he was worried o%
her health& Lucy "anaged to convince -iss Broo"e that the late -r Bannister
needs her hel# in the a%ter li%e&
63,' ,7 -&BR,,-E :
'he s#irit o% -s Broo"e who haunts the o%%ice where she once wor)ed as she is so
attached to her job&
Characteristics:
Loyal! dedicated and too) her job seriously at Ross and Bannisters&
'e(tual evidence:
-s Broo"e had wor)ed %or %orty three years :girl! wo"an! old "isery& he is
unwilling to let go o% her #osition and continues to de%end her #ost! even a%ter her
de"ise&
Characteristics:
Lonely as she had no %a"ily and %riends&
'e(tual evidence:
'he o%%ice was her ho"e8 the job was all she lived %or as she did not have any
%a"ily o% her own& he had no #lace worth to go and she insists to stay on&
Characteristics:
he is #ersistence! venge%ul and also #ossessive over her secretarial job at Ross and
Bannisters&
'e(tual evidence:
-iss Broo"e dies but she does not want to leave her job and insist to stay on& he
ty#es nasty "essages to new secretaries to instill %ear& 'he ty#ewriter roc)ed as i%
with laughter! its )eys clic)ing li)e badly %itting %alse teeth& he creates havoc with
intention to scare those who will re#lace her #lace at the o%%ice&
Characteristics:
7inally she is convinced that she should leave as her hel# is needed&
'e(tual evidence:
-iss Broo" leaves the o%%ice #er"anently a%ter Lucy "anaged to convince her that
-r Bannister needs her hel# in the a%terli%e& 'he ty#ewriter beca"e silent! sunlight
glittered on its )eys "a)ing the" loo)ed wet&
3ARRY 4ARKE :
Ross and Bannisters handy"an& 3e is an old "an who has been wor)ing with the
co"#any %or years&
Characteristics:
3el#%ul and concern
'e(tual evidence:
3e does all the odd jobs in the o%%ice and hel#s out new e"#loyees& 3e is hel#%ul in
giving use%ul in%or"ation to Lucy regarding the s#irit o% -iss Broo"e and shows
concern to her& 3e even told Lucy not to be li)e a %rightened "ouse! and not to
worry&
Characteristics:
A loyal wor)er at Ross and Bannisters&
'e(tual evidence:
3e has been wor)ing %or thirty years with Ross and Bannisters! retired with a
silver watch but still cant )ee# away %ro" his job&
Characteristics:
Encouraging and su##ortive to his colleague
'e(tual evidence:
3e #raises Lucy %or her braveness and deter"ination to )ee# on her job even a%ter
she has con%ronted the s#irit o% -iss Broo"e& 3e said that Lucy is no longer the
ti"id "ouse and she is a right little lion& 'hen he gives her chocolate biscuits with
her tea as a credit and encourage"ent&
LUCY -,'3ER9 -R BECK
he is a #atient and hardwor)ing housewi%e who live a hard li%e& he has to su##ort
her brother&
Characteristics:
Content with her status in li%e&
'e(tual evidence:
-rs Bec) is satis%ied with her status! she said to Lucy that :/e are ju"ble sailors
on the rough sea o% li%e&2 'hus she acce#ts her %ate and shows no actions or
thoughts o% wanting "ore than what she has in li%e&
Characteristics:
7orgiving and co"#assionate
'e(tual evidence:
he had an argu"ent9$uarrel with Uncle Bert and had turned hi" out once& i(
wee)s later! she as)ed hi" to return as she sy"#athi5e hi"& he said he loo)s so
lonely! so lost! living all by hi"sel% in a horrid little roo" with the worn lino and the
curtains all shrun)&
Characteristics:
1atient
'e(tual evidence:
Lucy could not hel# wishing her "other would so"eti"es lose her te"#er! shout!
screa"! throw sauce#ans at the s#inning! grinning head o% Uncle Bert&
Characteristics:
Low e(#ectations
'e(tual evidence:
he does not e(#ect Lucy to get a job as she was not con%ident in Lucys ability&
U;CLE BER' :
A drun)ard "an who de#ends on his sister %or su##ort&
Characteristics:
4e#endable and irres#onsible
'e(tual evidence:
3e drin)s heavily and borrows "oney %ro" Lucys "other&
Characteristics:
Caring
'e(tual evidence:
3e is concern o% Lucy and thought to #re#are her su##er since she is now a
wor)ing girl&
-R& R, :
Lucys boss
Characteristics:
Acco""odating and concern
'e(tual evidence:
3e is easy to deal with! willing to hel# and even o%%ers to do so"ething about the
ty#ewriter i% any #roble"s continue&
THEMES
4E'ER-0;A'0,;:
Lucy has strong deter"ination to )ee# her job as secretary o% Ross and Bannisters
des#ite the su#ernatural %orces that tries to %ail her& -iss Broo"es s#irit lingered
in the roo" where Lucy wor)s and de"ands her to leave but she shows no signs o%
giving u#& Lucy is stead%ast in de%ending her #osition as the secretary and she
battled %earlessly with the s#irit o% -iss Broo"e who haunted the ty#ewriter that
Lucy was wor)ing on& 4ue to her strong deter"ination! she "anaged to hold on to
her job at the %ir"&
7A-0LY L,<E A;4 CARE
Lucys "other is a res#onsible lady who ta)es care o% Lucy and her brother des#ite
o% the hard li%e they have to go through& he "anages to )ee# the bond o% %a"ily
love by %orgiving Uncle Bert and acce#ting hi" bac) into the %a"ily& Lucy also
regretted %or being rude to Uncle Bert when she sees his sha)ing hands and
"iserable eyes! she a#ologi5es and "aintain the %a"ily bond& Lucy loves her "other
and shares her ha##iness with her "other when she was success%ul o% obtaining a
job as a secretary&
C,--0'-E;' A;4 L,YAL'Y:
Lucy and -iss Broo"e are both co""itted and loyal to their #ro%ession& Lucy
ta)es her wor) seriously and does the job o% ty#ing which was given to her
success%ully& he has to %ace the battle with -iss Broo"e who is still attached to her
wor) even a%ter her death& Lucy did not give u# even when -iss Broo"e de"anded
her to leave& -iss Broo"e was so #ossessive towards her job
and also e(tre"ely loyal towards -r& Bannister& Lucy "anaged to convince her that
the late -r Bannister needs her so she le%t the o%%ice in order to continue her
service to -r Bannister in the a%ter li%e&
L,;EL0;E:
-iss Broo"e has no %riends and %a"ily "e"bers! so she co""its hersel% to her job
seriously and "ade the o%%ice her ho"e& he beca"e so attached to her #osition in
the o%%ice and the %eel o% #ossessiveness went beyond the grave& Uncle Bert also %elt
the loneliness in li%e and beca"e so de#endable on his sister! -rs Bec)&
'3E U1ER;A'URAL:
u#ernatural is being above or beyond what is une(#lainable and natural by
natural law& 'he character o% -iss Broo"e in this story is #resented as an ethereal
entity& 3er s#irit lingered in the o%%ice where she used to wor) and haunts the new
young secretaries who are su##osed to re#lace her& he writes nasty "essages and
tries to drive away those who were choose to re#lace her& he instill the %ear and
eerie %eelings in their hearts to %righten the"&

C,-1A0,;:
'he the"e o% co"#assion is revealed in the %inal con%rontation between Lucy and
-iss Broo"e& A%ter hearing about -iss Broo"es li%e history %ro" 3arry 4ar)e!
Lucy beca"e sy"#athetic and understanding& he interacts with the s#irit o% -iss
Broo"e through ty#ing on the ty#ewriter and %inally she "anaged to convince her
o% leaving the #lace& he told her that -r Bannister needs her in the a%terli%e and
the s#irit le%t in #eace& Co"#assion is also revealed by -rs Bec) to her brother who
is lonely and needed a #lace called ho"e& Lucy also had co"#assion towards her
Uncle Bert and sy"#athi5e hi" as he is a lonely #erson who has no #lace to go&
MORAL VALUES
= 0n order to be success%ul in li%e! we need to have a #ositive "ind set
= ,n our journey to success! we need to have high level o% #ositive sel% estee"
= 0n co""unication! be co"#assionate not aggressive as co"#assion heals while
aggression causes hurt&
= A##reciate and co"#li"ent others accordingly
= 1reserve the %a"ily ties and unity through understanding and %orgiving
= 4o not judge a boo) by its cover
= /e should not underrate #eo#le and their creativeness or abilities&
The Fruitcake Special is written by Frank Brennan. Frank Brennan and his wife wrote novels together
and many of their novels were published by Mills and Boon a publishing house that publishes romance
novels.
Summary
!nna a chemist who works at the !mos cosmetics factory in"ew #ersey$S!is trying to discover a new
perfume. %ne day she mi&es a slice of the fruitcake given by her !unt Mimi into a mi&ture of flowers. 't
smells wonderful so she tried it on her. "ot too long her boss (avid !mos who is a handsome )nglish
guy never saying nice thing to ordinary girl like her asked her to have a dinner with him. That would be
because of fruitcake. !nna realises now that the perfume is responsible for his strange behaviour. !t
dinner there was a competition between (avid !mos and the waiter for her attention. The night ended
with both men hitting each other and Sabina *(avid+s girlfriend, punching (avid. !nna later found out
more about the fruitcake from her !unt Mimi and reali-ed that it was made by an old woman who had
.ust passed away. /ater (avid apologi-ed and offered !nna a raise as compensation. !nna feels insulted
and 0uit her .ob. Then the pi--a man appears at her door with pi--a and a bo& of flowers. 1e is now the
owner of his pi--a company. !nna decides to go out with him.
Plot
!nna is a chemist at !mos 2osmetics factory. She creates a special fruitcake perfume. She calls
her perfume 3the fruitcake special+. !nna applies the perfume without reali-ing that whoever uses the
perfume will attract any man to fall in love with her.
1er boss (avid !mos who has never showed any interest in her invites her to dinner that night
.ust after walking past her.
!t home !nna+s mother and her !unt Mimi are discussing her marriage. They were talking about
!mstrong but !nna was not interested.
!t dinner (avid treated !nna as usual4 as .ust an employee. She goes to the washroom and
applies the perfume. !s she walks past a waiter the waiter fell in love with her. (avid too showed the
same reaction. !nna then reali-es that it is all due to the 3fruitcake special+. Sabina (avid+s girlfriend
became furious with (avid+s behaviour. The waiter starts to sing for !nna and soon after there was a
confusion. Sabina punches (avid and then (avid and the waiter fought with each other.
!nna is eager to find out about the fruitcake. She visits her !unt Mimi who tells her that the cake
was made by an old lady who used special ingredients. $nfortunately it is impossible to find the old
woman as she has passed away recently.
5hen !nna returns to work (avid was there with Sabina. She meets Sabina with Mr. !mos in his
office and Sabina insults her. Sabina tells !nna that (avid will give !nna a sum of money to compensate
for his behaviour. 'n anger !nna splashes the perfume on Sabina. She then resigns from the company
and finds a new .ob in the factory that produces Intrigue!nna feels insulted and 0uit her .ob.
!t home !rmstrong visits her wit pi--a and flowers. 1e told her he had fallen in love with her
since her first delivered pi--a to her house. "ow that he has his own pi--a company he is ready to go out
with her. !nna accepts !rmstrong.
Setting
Time6 The events happened within a week.
7lace6 !mos 2osmeticsFactory"ew #ersey$S!.
6 !nna+s home.
6 ! French restaurant * dinner between !nna and her boss,
6 !unt Mimi+s apartment *!nna visited her !unt Mimi,
Characters
The main character6
!nna4 She is 894year old simple looking chemist. She works at !mos 2osmetics factory. She is rather
sensible. She reali-es that her boss would not be attracted to a simple girl like her.
The minor characters6
David Amos4 1e is a shrewd businessman. 1e is an )nglish man who is rich and handsome. 1e is the
owner of !mos 2osmetics Factory a factory that manufactures and sells perfumes. 1e has been going out
with beautiful young models. 1owever his current girlfriend is Sabina.
Annas mother4 She is rather caring and is very eager to find a groom for !nna. She recommends
!rmstrong the pi--a man as she feels he has 3nice eyes+.
Aunt Mimi4 She is a helpful and caring person. She is also very keen to find !nna a nice husband. She
buys a special fruitcake for !nna.
The Waiter4 1e works at a French restaurant. 1e is attracted to !nna when she dapped the fruitcake
perfume and competes with !mos for her attention.
Sabina4 She is the current girlfriend of (avid !mos. She is young and pretty. She works as a model. She
gets angry when (avid pays attention to !nna.
Armstrong4 1e is a very hardworking man. 1e delivers pi--as and fell in love with !nna. Soon he
becomes the owner of a pi--a company. 1e is returns to ask !nna out.
Language and Style
The story uses the first person ' and it is told from !nna+s point of view. The language is simple and
clear. Through !nna+s description the readers get the insight into the feelings of the characters. 't uses
simple vocabulary: short dialogues: lots of e&clamation marks *;,: unfinished sentences *<,: there is a use
of italics to show emphasis and une&pected surprise.
Simile
The story has several interesting and funny similes6
he looked like a dog who had just found a bone;
mouths wide open like a couple of fish.
Why did everybody sound like bad movies tonight?
Imagery
The fruitcake ingredient makes the sophisticated perfume smell like a glorious mi& of all natural
delicious inviting and warm smells (like fresh bread and flowers and sunshine all mixed together.
Themes
The effects of a erfume4 The fragrance of a perfume has a very strong appeal. Men are attracted to
ladies who are wearing it. Thus it is popular amongst women.
!eeing ones dignity4 !nna re.ects both (avid !mos and the waiter as they are not genuinely
concerned about her. She has integrity and has pride in her own worth. She resigned from her career at
!mos 2osmetics because she did not like the way her employer (avid !mos treated her.

Moral "alues
!ppreciate ourselves for who we are and not depend on the supernatural4 The special ingredient
in the fruitcake that was mi&ed in the perfume did not bring happiness to !nna because she attracted the
wrong type of men.

5e should appreciate true love4 !rmstrong who has fallen in love with !nna when he was only a
pi--a delivery man withholds his declaration of love until he is successful. !lthough !nna did not like
!rmstrong at first she reali-es that he truly loves her and would be a suitable life partner.

1ard work is the key to success4 !nna works very hard. She spends long hours at her working
place. This is the reason why her boss wanted her to continue working for him. !rmstrong worked very
hard to become successful. Finally he became the owner of a pi--a company. 1e asked !nna out on a date
when he had achieved his goal.

5e must not compromise our dignity4 !nna has integrity and has pride in her own worth. She
walked out of her .ob when she was insulted with the boss+ offer.
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