In Vienne's world, she had always belonged to a family which tightens bonds among people using food, particularly chocolate. In Chocolate the town is unified, freed, and even lightened up thanks to the intervention of Vienne. It was as if food had given liberation ot a very backwards, enmeshed, town.

In Marian's world, food is a symbol of oppression: Although Marian always enjoyed eating and had no eating disorders, when she found herself trapped in an unhappy engagement and relationship, and in a less than satisfactory world, she felt consumed. For this reason, in Edible Woman food is used contrarily to Chocolat: In Chocolat, it united people; in Edible Woman it aimed to separate Marian from an oppressing society.