Analysis Of Family Tradition In Like Water For Chocolate

The images in the movie relate very closely to the amusing feeling the book gives us, giving us a high angle on the guests and long shots, showing us collectively how everyone was crying. At that night Nacha dies, and shatters Titas world. Later on Pedro gives Tita roses, and she decides to make quail in rose. The passion dripped from her to the dish, and made Gertrudis the older sister think of sinful thoughts. The aroma arousing from her reaches to a soldier Juan, who was Gertrudis dream, the moment is described magically: “A pink clod floated toward him, wrapped itself around him…naked as she was, luminous, glowing with energy… without slowing his gallop, so as not to waste a moment, he leaned over, put his arm around her waist, and lifted her onto the horse in front of him, face to face” (pg 55-56). The movie draws a great parallel here, the picture is blurry a little as if it is a dream, and for the first time in the movie, which is very dimly lit and poorly lighted, the picture is bright, with a flowing movement of the two as they disappear. One of the most significant moments in the book is when Tita delivers Rosauras baby Roberto, the thing she loved the most. In the movie however, the whole phase of taking care of Roberto in the kitchen and feeding him is very brief, which is very confusing for later scenes. As mama Elena senses that Pedro and Tita might have an affair going on, she sends them to one of her relatives in the United States.

Tita’s thoughts shows how, despite her fear of Mama Elena, she still attempts to gain her right to marry and she is secretly happy about Pedro marrying Rosaura just to be near her. Despite Mama Elena 's intentions to break Tita 's heart by making her watch the person she loves getting married to her sister, Tita completely changes the meaning of this wedding to something that makes her love for Pedro grow stronger. This is also portrayed in the film when Tita 's smile remains even after Mama Elena scolds her. The contrast in Mama Elena and Tita 's behaviour is conveyed when Tita thinks about what it would be like to have her mother’s strength:

Lust seems to be the biggest motivation and is the basis of their relationship. The novel did not offer any explanation or backstory explaining how or why they fell in love and every encounter Tita has with Pedro happens to be very sexual. The first time, Pedro glances at Tita’s exposed thighs when he helps her pick up the fruits that she drops. As a grown man, this bare sight initiated his sex drive. Despite being married to Rosaura and father to her son, Pedro only see sexual intercourse with Rosaura as a duty and not a pleasure. The second time, Pedro peeks at Tita’s breast in motion while she prepares a meal. The third time, Pedro grabs Tita and passionately kisses her while rubbing his body against hers. Things got heated when Tita’s reaches down and “felt a red-hot coal throbbed through his clothes” (98). E.N. Anderson says in his book, Everyone Eats, that drinking a cold beverage when one is thirsty is much more satisfying than when he or she is not (Anderson 76). Likewise, being denied of love, Tita’s and Pedro’s desires and lust intensifies as the days goes on and they long for the day that their physical bodies can

Josefita (Tita) De Le Garza, the youngest daughter of a Hispanic family has deep roots to her family’s customs and traditions. Tita is expected to remain unmarried and care for her mother until the day she dies. Remaining true to her culture Tita is obedient, as not to disrespect her mother until she is pushed to her limit.

When Pedro asks for Tita’s hand in marriage, Mama Elena refuses, stating that Rosaura, who is two years older than Tita, is a better option. Mama Elena states that Rosaura is, “…one hundred percent available, and ready for marriage...” (Esquivel, 13) Despite his love for Tita, Pedro marries her sister, believing that doing so will forge a closer bond between the two. When his father asks his son why would he marry Rosaura Pedro’s response is that he is going to marry, “with great love for Tita that will never die” (Esquivel, 15). Throughout the story, even after she dies, Mama Elena remains an almost foreboding obstacle between Tita and Pedro.

Tita character development was strongly demonstrated as “Tita reveals that she has now advanced to a whole other level of independence- that she feels confident enough in her strength to return to care for Mama Elena, the person who has restricted her from her freedom all her life” Tita is brave enough to care of the person who destroyed her mental state, this demonstrates the maturity Tita has developed. This assertion contributes to the thesis because Tita maturity brought her the independence she fully deserved. Not only did Tita rebelled against Mama Elena she also rebelled against the love of her life, “Tita also demonstrates her new independence when she rebels against Pedro’s control” Tita realized she does not need to be controlled by Pedro just because she is in love with him, she realized that she is capable of being free from any time of

A soul in distress is always looking for a mean to escape through a difficult situation. In the story Like Water For Chocolate, Tita De La Garza who suffered like no other, isn’t the exception. This young woman since birth was instilled with a very deep love for cooking. When the people who she loved most betrayed her, cooking eased her pain. All of the intense emotions that she felt while preparing food, were unknowingly added to the recipes. The author, Laura Esquivel through the use of symbolism, she demonstrates that the role of food in the story isn’t there just to sustain life, it also transmits strong emotions such as desire, sorrow and healing felt by the

Following, we learn that Mama Elena has no milk to feed Tita, which makes Nacha, the family cook - her official caretaker as she replaces Mama Elena. This is important to point out because the initial separation of the two main characters is quite evident; there is no mother-daughter bond that should have been established, Mama Elena doesn’t have time to worry about her, “without having to worry about feeding a newborn baby on top of everything else.” (7) We grow to understand why Tita forms other vital bonds with Nacha, and of course the food that surrounds her daily, helping her not only to grow but acts as an outlet for her emotions. “From that day on, Tita’s domain was the kitchen…this explains the sixth sense Tita developed about everything concerning food.” (7) From the beginning, Tita is given barely any freedom, she is given a purpose, she will not marry anyone until Mama Elena is alive, she is to look after her, which becomes a great conflict when the love of her life, Pedro, is to marry her sister, Rosaura, and not her. Mama Elena wants to hear nothing about Tita’s frustration. Mama Elena herself has lost her true love and because of it is insensitive to Tita’s love with Pedro. The reaction of each woman to her predicament helps explain the opposite characters. Mama Elena lets the loss of her young love turn into hatred for anything but tradition, and

Pedro does become engaged to Rosaura, because, as he tells his father when they are leaving the ranch, "When you're told there's no way you can marry the woman you love and your only hope of being near to her is to marry her sister, wouldn't you do the same?" (15). It is during Pedro and Rosaura's wedding reception that Tita's feelings first become apparent through the magic of her cooking.

The phrase “mother knows best” refers to maternal instinct and wisdom. It is often used to describe how mothers are the most knowledgeable when it comes to their children’s needs. This cliche is frequently used by mothers who try to guide their children on the path towards success, especially when the child protests. Tita’s mother, Mama Elena, embraces this expression fully, and always pushes Tita towards what she believes is the road to achievement. Mama Elena is perhaps one of the best portrayals of “tough love” in a character in literature. Like Water for Chocolate’s author, Esquivel, depicts Mama Elena as a strong, independent woman who does not bother with things she deems insignificant. This translates to the reader through the decisions and actions Mama Elena makes throughout the book. Her disregard for emotions is often the reason why her actions are misunderstood by readers who claim that she is a cruel, unrelenting mother who is apathetic to her daughter’s suffering. However, this is not the case, as Mama Elena never acts without reason and only goes out of her way to discipline Tita when she believes that Tita is in the wrong. The readers see her go to great lengths to protect Tita numerous times, although these instances are often hidden behind her less than pleasant words, such as when she tries to shield Tita and Nacha from the rebels who were known to frequently terrorize families and rape women. Despite being a strict and unforgiving mother, Mama Elena’s

Rosaura, as the eldest daughter among the three, strives to maintain Mama Elena’s tradition and also barely cared about Tita as she married her lover. This can be compared to some people in the higher rank during the Mexican Revolution who wanted to maintain certain rules, for example the land reform which took away the land of farmers and indigenous people. They didn’t care about the people in the lower rank just like Rosaura didn’t care about Tita. Gertrudis, who is the middle daughter, is the only one in the family who was probably so desperate for freedom that she ran away from her family, ignoring the tradition of Mama.

Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel explains women’s roles in northern Mexico during the turn of the nineteenth century. The novel takes place in northern Mexico on a family ranch where many family traditions are carried out. Also, the novel describes some of the typical foods that were prepared and fiestas that were celebrated in the Mexican culture around this time. However, the novel mainly focuses on the roles of females in Mexican society at that time. The novel goes beyond explaining women’s roles and also explains what took place in the Mexican family. Throughout the novel, readers learn the role of mothers, the conflict between personal desires and tradition, and typical foods, celebrations, and family traditions that were

Since Tita was unable to stand up to Mama Elena, she felt helpless, which she then realized how strong her fate for an identity would be nonexistent; however, Tita would not accept that fate. From the day Tita was born and past off to Nacha, the cook, Mama Elena formed resentment towards Tita, while attempting to make Tita obedient through force, cruelty and mistreatment. The physically punished Tita endured, multiple times, by the hands of Mama Elena, forced her to live the life as a servant and a house cook; as well as, arrange the wedding of her love, Pedro, to her sister, Rosaura (26-29). While under Nacha’s care, Mama Elena bounded Tita to the kitchen and constrained her to cook for the family, and if Mama Elena saw signs of Tita disobedience, she would strike Tita in rage. The preparations for Pedro and Rosaura’s wedding was Tita’s responsibility, which Mama Elena placed Tita in charge just to lower her spirits and eliminate any hope she may have within, causing Tita to have a weak moment that triggers her to hallucinate. In the opinion of

Since Tita was unable to stand up to Mama Elena, she felt helpless, which she then realized how strong her fate for an identity would be nonexistent; however, Tita would not accept that fate. From the day Tita was born and past off to Nacha, the cook, Mama Elena formed resentment towards Tita, while attempting to make Tita obedient through force, cruelty and mistreatment. Tita was physically punished multiple times by the hands of Mama Elena, and forced to live the life as a servant, and punished to cook, as well as, arrange the wedding of her love, Pedro, to her sister, Rosaura (26-29). Mama Elena bounded Tita to the kitchen and constrained her to cook for the family, under Nacha’s care, and if Mama Elena saw signs of Tita being disobedient, Mama Elena would strike her in rage. Mama Elena put Tita in charge of the preparations for Pedro and Rosaura’s wedding to lower her spirits and eliminate any hope she may have within, which caused Tita to have a weak moment and triggers her to hallucinate. In the opinion of a journalist, Justine Baek, which was

In the film Like Water for Chocolate family tradition makes it impossible for Tita to marry Pedro, the man she loves. She struggles throughout the story with the desire to be with her true love and find her independence and individuality. When Pedro marries her sister Rosaura, Tita is very distraught, but does not say a word because, she is afraid of her abusive mother and feels like she has no choice but to follow family tradition. Tita does not have the courage to verbally express her unhappiness so she pours her emotions into her cooking which affects anyone who eats it. For example, when she bakes the cake for the wedding, her tears are baked into the cake, which causes everyone who eats it to fall ill. Eventually, Tita’s mother dies and she is finally free to make her own choices and seek out her desires. One day her mother’s spirit comes to haunt her however; she stands up for herself and cast the spirit away. When Rosaura dies Pedro and Tita are finally free to