Analysis Of Like Water For Chocolate By Laura Esquivel

Robertson, Erica

In this novel Like Water for Chocolate well written by Laura Esquivel she writes about a family of women, three extraordinary, strong female characters that portray honor, courage, and dedication. Gertrudis, Strong yet silent, watching and, absorbing everything like a sponge in her environment; things she will need later in life. Tita who has lived in both worlds, born to an aristocrat and raised by the family cook, she will exhibit exemplary control, and endurance all the while burning and yearning to be herself, free from being controlled and dominated by Mama Elena, whose position, status and behavior will epitomize what extensive and unimaginable measures a mother will take to ensure the family traditions are enforced

She holds strong in her conviction to carry on the traditions of the family and continue as the matriarch and preserver of the family reputation after the death of her husband she becomes as domineering as any man could ever be. Controlling every aspect of her family’s life, and continuing to uphold the family reputation was the driving force that kept her thriving and empowered. Unbeknownst to the family Mama Elena too has had her struggles to endure, she too had loved and was forbidden to pursue happiness, and this pass of Mama Elena’s would commission her to make her daughter’s life close to unbearable. “You know perfectly well that being the youngest daughter means you have to take care of me until I die”(10). As she spews these words like venom to Tita she shows no emotion and no remorse,knowning deep inside exactly what it feels like to be denied love Mama Elena hold firm to the tradition and rules with an iron face. It appears this bitter tyrant is fueled by cruelty to her flesh and blood but we find out she not only enforces tradition but wants to spare Tita from making the same mistakes she did. “ I won’t stand for disobedience”(27). Mama Elena uses these words to paralyze her daughter’s and continues to instill fear in everyone on the De la Garza ranch. Though unable to stand for herself and her love for a malotto man in the past, she more over compensates by being over barring ,and dominating qualities that prove to serve her well when the soldiers come to the ranch to do harm, she shows remarkable strength protecting the family, and hiding the food they need to survive with shotgun in hand Mama Elena prepares to defend until the death, for her fear is not an