Like Water For Chocolate Symbolism

Tita longing for her true love, Pedro, causes her to cry as she watches her love marry her sister. This example demonstrates a symbol that the novel, "Like Water For Chocolate" presents. Symbols used in literature provide depth and meaning to the actions and words of the characters. Throughout the novel, Tita faces obstacles that become symbolic to her and the readers as they mean more than what they seem. One of the main symbols throughout the novel is the act of crying and tears that are shed. Another symbol comes from the food Tita makes and how it affects not only herself, but others around her. Finally, the symbol of fire produces passion and love inside of the characters in the novel and propel the story of the love between Tita and Pedro.

The tears began the moment she came out of her mother's womb and these tears depict the hard life ahead of Tita in a household ruled by a dominant, single mother. Tita is portrayed crying when she is at Doctor John's house as she leaves the only life she knew. These tears were said to be flooding the room and they symbolize her freedom from her mother, but also a change in her character as she begins a new life away from the ranch. They are to show readers that the life she lived at the ranch, as much as she did not like it, was the only life she knew. Adjusting to change would be very difficult. This also was when she was taken away from her baby nephew and Pedro. Not being able to see them crushed her and causes these tears to appear from Tita. She is then displayed in tears before the wedding of her sister and Pedro. These tears symbolize her longing and love for the man that can never be hers. She loves Pedro so much, but because Mama Elena follows family tradtion, keeping Tita to tend to her mother, she forbids Tita of marrying anyone. Tita's tears show her realization of her loneliness as well as longing for the love she now will not receive because Pedro will be married to her sister. The symbol of tears demonstrate the struggles Tita faces as well as the longing she feels from the people she is

Whether Tita is upset, angry, or joyful, the food she prepares will resemble the way she feels. At Pedro and Rosura's wedding, Tita was upset the love of her life was marrying her sister. As she produced the wedding cake, her some of her tears got into the batter, allowing readers to understand she was upset and also changing the formula of the cake. As the guests partook of the cake, they began to long for lost love in the past and also feel disgusted. The actions of the guests reflected the emotions of Tita in creating the cake and demonstrate how her emotions affect the food she prepares. A similiar occurrance comes at her niece's wedding when she prepares tamalas for the guests. She was feeling very passionate and in love at the time she was making them and thus, as guests began to eat, they became aroused and everyone at the wedding began to make love. The tamalas reflected how she felt making them and illustrate through the actions of the people present at the wedding. The symbol of food plays a major role in demonstrating Tita's feelings and is exemplified perfectly at the weddings she prepares