In her essay, Helene Cixous discusses the gender-based structure that women have been imposed. According to her findings in order to destabilize the masculine structure people need to question the connection between the writing and the sexuality in order to bring women from the nonexistence they have been. In the movies Frida and Like Water for Chocolate the two main characters Frida from Frida and Tita from Like Water for Chocolate are able to break free from the complex web of cultural determinations in order to challenge the predefined ideological system in which they were force to live.
Both of these films took place in the back stage of the Mexican Revolution. During 1900s women role was a submissive one and not a very visible one.
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Diego cheated on her countless times however society would expect as a women to remain in the margin. To the surprise of the society Kahlo also ended up cheating on him. Frida defeated society by defying all expectations of women role in society. She was able to go around about all the labeling give to women. It is clearly noticeable that she did not believe that there was dissimilarity between both sexes, but that they were equal.
In the movie Like Water for Chocolate the character of the story plays a different role then frida. Tita the main character of the story was more submissive then frida. In this movie the sense of cultural determination is shown through the fact that she was not allow to get married to Pedro because as tradition dictated her role as the younger daughter was to serve her mother until death.
Through Tita one is able to see the relationship between women and the society she and most women live in. Tita obeyed her mother without question, because it is what’s expected of her to do as her family said. It was a model presented by society for children to under no condition disregard their parents. Yet at the end of the story Tita managed to be with the love of her life.
Other notorious females figure that certainly agree with Cirxous belief is Getrudis’s character. I was able to perceive from this movie how Getrudis is a female revolutionary. According to society to hold such important role one must be
Tita was born in a family with strict rules and traditions. It is tradition that keeps Tita and Pedro apart. Even though Tita and Pedro are madly in love with each other. However, because tradition demand that Tita the youngest daughter does not marry in order to take care for her parents. “For generations, not a single person in my family has ever questioned this tradition, and no daughter of mine is going to be the one to start”. (10). Tita mother makes this statement to shows that she has power over Tita life, she’s not going to let anybody come between her decisions and explained to her that tradition could not be broken. Later in the story, Pedro fails to gain Tita’s hand in marriage when he speaks to her mother. Instead Elena offer Rosaura the middle sister to marry Pedro in which pedro agrees. “When you’re told there’s no way you can marry the women you love and only hope of being near her is to marry her sister”. (15) This news leaves Tita broken-hearted because she imagines this could have been her, marrying her true love, having a future with him, and probably having children with him. Instead she is doomed to served her
Critically examine the relationship between Tita and her mother and how Tita asserts her authority. Can Tita be considered a victim or a vanquisher?
Movie shows the betrayal or unfavorable depiction of the sisterhood, an important concept in feminist ideology, emphasizing that women are bound in a communal oneness. The movie
Food and family tradition are important for this story, since the food is seen as a way of communication and family tradition as an obstacle within Tita’s life. Ever since she had been born, her closeness to food was seen from that very moment. In the first "scene" of the book, this can be seen. “Tita made her entrance into this world, prematurely, right there on the kitchen table amid the smells of simmering noodle soup, thyme, bay leaves, and cilantro, steamed milk, garlic, and of course, onion” (Esquivel, 5-6). This shows how she connects to food, and this connection only grows more throughout the story. Although, later on Tita is able to mix her own feelings within her food preparation helping her communicate what she feels. When she is cooking is also gets emotionally involved, therefore this lets her mix her feelings in the recipe as well.
This passage gives the reader an initial insight on the central conflict in the novel, Tita’s fight for freedom from Mama Elena’s suppression. Mama Elena is portrayed to have characteristics which resemble to that of the stereotypically domineering, abusive male figure. Tita must tread waters very carefully when she is anywhere near Mama Elena, otherwise she would be beaten for any reason. Yet as the novel progresses, Tita undergoes a change due to exposure and desire. With the introduction of Pedro (Tita’s lover who ends up marrying Tita’s sister), Tita experiences new emotions, desire and lust. Previous to meeting Pedro, Tita never felt the desire to defy Mama Elena, yet her new found love - lust - for Pedro gave her a reason to rebel. The introduction of the emotion of desire, a need sparked the flame of change in Tita. This concept of women in oppression finding something to strive for, even at a risk, gives women courage. As the age, old saying goes ‘if they can do it so can I’. By creating a relatable scenario, Esquivel hopes to show women that even if the task seems too great to overcome, they
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
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
Esquivel argues that some family traditions can determine the outcome of your life and if you do not like that direction you need to fight to change the family tradition. Throughout the novel Tita is required to obey the family traditions, which is to care for your matriarch (Mama Elena) until she dies. Tita always feels trapped because of family traditions which causes her to make decisions that don’t make her happy. Esquivel writes, “If intends to ask for your hand, tell him not to bother. He’ll be wasting his time and mine too. You know perfectly well that being the youngest daughter means you have to care for me until the day I die” (10). It was obvious to Mama Elena that Tita was having feelings for Pedro because she asked Mama Elena if Pedro could come to the home. Tita’s comment caused Mama Elena great frustration and anger because Pedro wanted to marry Tita and Mama Elena was not going to break the family tradition and allow Tita to start a relationship with Pedro. Another example, of how “tradition” many times becomes a recipe of disaster
Since this time, Tita did not have to see the love of her life marry someone else she was happy and excited for this wedding to occur. “Having brought off the wedding between Alex and Esperanza was Tita’s greatest triumph (pg.240)” Tita was happy to see her niece marry the love of her life and not allow the family tradition take her happiness away. “Everyone else, including the ranch hands, was making mad passionate love, wherever they had happened to end up (pg 242).” Since Tita made the food with love and felt passionate about the marriage, everyone that attend the wedding had a feeling of passion and lust. The result of this wedding is nothing compared to the one of Rosaura’s, the fact that Tita did not have to see her lover marry someone else made a big difference in the outcome of her food. Both of these scenes, show how Tita can have a positive or a negative effect on others through her cooking. Magical realism is used to show Tita’s emotions and reaction to the
The violence that Tita suffers at the hands of her mother is also depictive of male brutality. For example, Mama Elena appears to be made up of characteristics that are normally attributed to men rather than women, while a closer reading of the text shows that all of the female characters are stronger than their male. Tita’s alliterative litany of characteristics describes Mama Elena’s ruthless personality. Tita is familiar with Mama Elena’s strict rule and lack empathy. The same skill Mama Elena uses in precisely cutting a watermelon she also uses in her dealing with humans. Everything is precise, decisive, and oftentimes destructive.
We see elsewhere in the novel the strength in Gertrudis, Tita’s sister. Gertrudis escapes the ranch after reacting mysteriously to one of Tita's recipes. She runs away with a rebel soldier, works in a brothel at the Mexico-Texas border, and eventually returns to the ranch as a general in the revolutionary army. Here we witness the creation of a second strong female character. When we first see Gertrudis we see just another female character. But after her return we find that she has become a leader of in the revolution. Again Esquivel takes a potion that is typically male associated and fills that role with and equally respectable female character.
From the day Tita entered the world, her fate was sealed with the De la Garza’s family tradition, which lead to the cause of her pain and suffering from the hands of her mother, Mama Elena. Tita and Mama Elena’s estranged relationship was oppressed with complications from Tita’s premature birth and the sudden death of her father, which caused Mama Elena to reject her nurturing nature and discard bonding with Tita. Although Tita’s emotions would leave her in a weakened mind state, her determination towards breaking the brutal convention, she is faced with, would begin to display her strength, through her visualization of a fulfilled life without the criticism of Mama Elena. While Tita
From the day Tita entered the world, her fate was sealed with the De la Garza’s family tradition, which lead to the cause of her pain and suffering from the hands of her mother, Mama Elena. Tita and Mama Elena’s estranged relationship was oppressed with complications from Tita’s premature birth and the sudden death of her father, which caused Mama Elena to reject her nurturing nature and discard bonding with Tita. Although Tita’s emotions would leave her in a weakened mind state, her determination towards breaking the brutal convention, she is faced with, would begin to display her strength, through her visualization of a fulfilled life without the criticism of Mama Elena. While
During this time, women had very specific gender roles throughout society. They had two options as they emerge into adulthood, join the commune or marry a man who was well-off that could support her. However, Frida didn’t aspire to do either, she aspired to have a career as an artist. Due to Frida’s dream, she set out to find a local yet famous artist Diego Riviera to seek approval of her artwork.
In contrary, Laura Esquivel portrays Mama Elena as a widow, who does not allow Tita to marry anyone, as long as Mama Elena lives; as per the De La Garza tradition. Mama Elena enforces her do all the chores in the house and treats her like a housekeeper. For Mama Elena, tradition was above her daughter, which obstructs Tita from being loved by her mother. Thus, this shows the affection between mother and child in the two books was opposite, which hints the audience the character of Mama Elena to be a selfish, stern and a ruthless mother, while the ‘Bridegroom’s Mother’ to be an affectionate, tender woman.