Development
After criticism for the first novel in the series asserted that Isabel was difficult to empathise with, McCall Smith aimed in this novel to show “more of the human side of her”. The title refers to “three issues of great philosophical importance” that test our moral inclinations. The “philosophical resonance” of friendship and lovers are evident; as McCall Smith says, “Friendship involves philosophical issues. Lovers can certainly give rise to moral difficulties.” Chocolate represents “temptation and our inability to resist temptation” and is included for personal reasons, because the temptation of chocolate affects “most of us ... me in particular.”
A key subplot is Jamie’s affair with Louise, which can be seen as demonstrating his willingness to enter into relationships with older women and foreshadowing the events of the next book in the series.
Read more about this topic: Friends, Lovers, Chocolate
Famous quotes containing the word development:
“As long as fathers rule but do not nurture, as long as mothers nurture but do not rule, the conditions favoring the development of father-daughter incest will prevail.”
—Judith Lewis Herman (b. 1942)
“Ultimately, it is the receiving of the child and hearing what he or she has to say that develops the child’s mind and personhood.... Parents who enter into a dialogue with their children, who draw out and respect their opinions, are more likely to have children whose intellectual and ethical development proceeds rapidly and surely.”
—Mary Field Belenky (20th century)
“For decades child development experts have erroneously directed parents to sing with one voice, a unison chorus of values, politics, disciplinary and loving styles. But duets have greater harmonic possibilities and are more interesting to listen to, so long as cacophony or dissonance remains at acceptable levels.”
—Kyle D. Pruett (20th century)