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Symbolism In Like Water For Chocolate

1539 Words7 Pages

Suvanjan Sitaula
Rusich 1
English 2
1/31/2023
Revolution versus Tradition
Tita and Gertrudis’s revolution against Mama Elena
Imagine a world where tradition and societal expectations are so powerful that they dictate every aspect of one's life. The novel Like Water for Chocolate is a book where tradition plays a key role in society. The story is set in Mexico at the turn of the 20th century and follows the life of Tita De la Garza, the youngest daughter of a powerful ranching family. Tita is deeply in love with Pedro Muzquiz, but her mother forbids her from marrying him. Tita's love and longing for Pedro are expressed through her cooking, as she creates magical and sensual dishes that have a powerful effect on those who eat them. In Laura …show more content…

Gertrudis is an older sister of Tita. At the novel's beginning, she has accepted her role to help Mama Elena. She meets a soldier with whom she has an intense attraction one day. The following week, she eats the quail in rose petal sauce, and it makes Gertrudis think about him. “Their eyes met and what she saw in his made her tremble. She saw all the nights he’d spent staring into the fire and longing to have a woman beside him, a woman he could kiss, a woman he could hold in her arms, a woman like her. She got out a handkerchief and tried to wipe these sinful thoughts from her mind as she wiped away the sweat” (Esquivel 52). Characterization is used in this passage to demonstrate Gertrudis' desire for the man she saw, “a woman he could hold in her arms, a woman like her.” This demonstrates her motivation; it says a woman like her, implying that she is the woman the man is looking for. Gertrudis then “tried to wipe these sinful thoughts from her mind as she wiped away the sweat.” Gertrudis' attempt to erase those memories demonstrates her regard for tradition. Tradition tells her that these thoughts are “sinful,” which is why she wipes them away, proving she conforms to tradition. Even though she tries to wipe away her sinful thoughts, they can’t be erased. Gertrudis's traditional values and desires …show more content…

Gertrudis’s story emphasizes the importance of following the heart's desires and being independent of tradition. Tita’s shift in character furthermore proves that traditional practices that oppress and harm her should be challenged to become free from the constraints of tradition. These two sisters' journeys to happiness and freedom are personal revolutions that challenge traditional society. This story is about societal issues from the past and present. It portrays the societal restrictions and expectations that are put on women. Although times have changed there is always something that can be

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