Disclaimer  

            This tragi-comédie is intended for high school students.  Although the core of the story revolves around the wholesome, mutually supportive famille Tomate, and although I hate to reveal any of the plot, I feel compelled to bring to your notice that some possibly controversial issues are touched on in passing.  You need to judge whether or not you are comfortable referring to these topics in your classroom, given your own sensibilities and those of the community in which you teach. 

            In all the years I’ve been using these stories, I’ve never had a single complaint from a parent.  All the feedback I’ve gotten from students and parents has been positive.  Many parents tell me their kids like to keep them apprised of the latest plot developments in Salade (or Ensalada, in Spanish).  The students say the stories make learning the language interesting and fun.

            The teacher, Mademoiselle Pomme de Terre, discovers graffiti on the school bus after a field trip.  It says “TOMATES OIGNONS”.  This suggests that there may be tension between these groups.  This turns out not to be the case.  In fact, this graffiti as a plot device turns out to be just a red herring (sorry to give that away!).  

            Thomas Tomate is found dead in the park one morning.  (Of the issues described here, this is the only one that is not simply mentioned in passing; this event is pivotal to the plot.)  This serious topic is “lightened” by the fact that we are dealing with cartoon-like vegetables, and the murder scene is depicted as a tomato pierced by a fork, surrounded by ketchup.  Still, it is a sensitive subject.  I proceed from the assumption that it will be no more traumatic for the students than what they see on TV or in the movies.  However, you need to be the judge of its appropriateness for your classroom.  A funeral is held for Thomas, which is conducted with decorum and solemnity.  Beautiful classical music is played in the background.  The cemetery is represented by rows of canned tomatoes, potatoes, etc.  

            A bag of drugs is discovered in Oscar Oignon’s bedroom.  This and other circumstantial evidence lead to his being considered the prime suspect in the murder of Thomas.  There is an implicit anti-drug message in this soap opera.  You can make it more explicit if you wish.  

            Omar Oignon’s mother is an alcoholic.  This comes up very briefly but poignantly in an episode in which l’agent M. Pomme de Terre shows up at Omar’s house to interrogate him about his cousin Oscar, and finds Omar’s mother passed out on the couch.  The story simply says:  “La mère d’Omar dort sur le sofa dans le living.  Il y a une bouteille de vin vide dans sa main.  ‘Ma mère dort,’ dit Omar.  ‘Allons dans la cuisine.  Je ne veux pas la réveiller.’”  Later, after the police officer has left, Omar looks sadly at his mother.  She wasn’t there for him during his hour of need.  If this is a topic you feel comfortable exploring with your students, you can use this as a jumping-off point. 

            Finally, it turns out that Thomas was murdered because he stumbled across a drug-running operation and vowed to expose it.  This is not revealed until Oscar’s trial.  Rest assured that justice is served in the courtroom of le juge Aubergine. 

            There is absolutely no sexual content (other than a pair of copains kissing on the school bus).  

scampbell@eee.org