Like Water For Chocolate Gender Roles Essay

Laura Esquivel, author of Like Water for Chocolate, subverts many of her important characters' traditional gender roles, while other characters embrace them and continue the destructive cycle. In particular, Rosaura and Pedro alike accept their role through manipulation and fear from Mama Elena and her outdated traditions.

Pedro is the romantic interest of Tita, sister of Rosaura, in the story. Traditionally the youngest daughter, Tita, is never allowed to marry and assume the caretaker role of their mother until death. Pedro wants more than anything to marry Tita, but he does not resist Mama Elena’s objection, and rather takes Titas sister's hand in marriage to remain closer to her. When his father asks why he won’t keep his vow to Tita,

Although he cares for Tita, he is unable at times to put her needs and happiness first. For many years, Tita is subjugated to work for Mama Elena without any hope of a freedom or future apart from being a servant. When she gains the freedom and independence from the ranch, and falls in love with John, Pedros reaction is selfish. “When all four of them gathered together in the center of the living room to drink the toast, Pedro clicked his glass so violently against the others that it broke into a thousand pieces and their champagne was splashed onto their clothes and faces”(Esquivel 156). The anger that John asking for Titas hand in marriage brings Pedro causes him to break his glass against the others. He has a family and wife, and although he wants to be with Tita instead, should be at peace with the decision she makes. Once John has left, Pedro, consumed with jealousy, pulls Tita into a dark room and takes her virginity. “Without answering, Pedro went to her, extinguished the lamp, pulled her onto a brass bed that had once belonged to her sister Gertrudis, and threw himself upon her, caused her to lose her virginity and learn of true love” (Esquivel 158). While she isn’t opposed to his actions, Pedro knows it will cause tension between him and Tita, and John and Rosaura. He chooses his own selfish desires over Titas'

She aids in reinforcing Mama Elena's cruel traditions not only on Tita, but on her own daughter as well. Throughout the book, Rosauras actions support Mama Elena’s ideas on the youngest daughters being subservient to her until she dies. “Fine, if that's what you want, let's start there. With your wrongful claim to a boyfriend. You had no right to have a boyfriend… According to the family tradition, which you were breaking” (Esquivel 213). Despite Rosaura being conscious of the emotional turmoil her marriage caused the entire family, she was too prideful to admit, even after the death of Mama Elena, that it was a mistake. This accusation came from a place of jealousy, with her being well aware that Pedro never felt loyalty towards her, and simply married her to stay near Tita. When John's young son jokingly told Alex’s parents he wanted to marry her someday, Rosaura immediately shut him down. “They all laughed at that, but when Rosaura explained to Alex that he couldn’t because this little girl was destined to take care of her until the day she died, Tita felt her hair stand on end” (Esquivel 150). Rosaura knew of the loneliness and neglect Tita had endured her entire life spent on the ranch, but still planned on carrying out the tradition with her own daughter. She was never able to empathize with Tita, and accept her decisions as an independent