Tradition, although often very fun and educative, is not always the best way to go. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel is a hopeful story about tradition filled with tragedy. Each chapter is based on a recipe; customary of the time and place of the story. The setting is a town in Mexico during the revolution of the 1990s. Throughout this story of magical realism, the author displayed the importance of authority, tradition and betrayal. There are various conflicts in the book such as the one in choosing between family norms and the passion of love.
There were three sisters living with their widowed mother in a small town where everyone knew each other. Tita, the youngest one, was destined to stay in the house to take her of her mother until she died while her older sisters, Rosaura and Gertrudis, were allowed to marry. It seemed like Tita was born engaged to the kitchen, since when she came to this world on the kitchen table, with all the scents and different smells. She would spend most of her young years doing what she did best and was allowed to do; cooking. Mama Elena, Tita's mom, had extremely strong rules and did not listen to her daughter's desires, or her own for that matter.
One day, a handsome young man named Pedro visited the sisters and fell deeply in love with Tita. Since she could not marry him, he agreed to marry Tita's sister, Rosaura. As horrible as this marriage might have seemed, Nacha, the maid, overheard that Pedro only accepted so he could get closer to his love Tita. The hidden love continued and grew stronger in their hearts as time went by, but there was nothing these secret lovers could do. Tita had to cook the wedding cake and she cried so much over the icing that everyone who ate it remembered their lost loves and ended up melancholic and nostalgic. Apparently, nobody ever really marries their real love.
Tita's only friend, Nacha, passes away and she is left by herself to deal with her dire situation. Pedro was still in love with her and her food but he had to eat Rosaura's hideous food. More tension is raised when Gertrudis, who was very open minded and free spirited runs away with some rebels that were attracted to the house by her scent caused by Tita's passionate recipe. However, this has to stop since Rosaura and Pedro had conceived a child.
Luckily, Tita gets to take care of this child because her sister could not feed her son Roberto. When Mama Elena sees how close Tita is getting to the baby and his father, she decided to send the couple to San Antonio with the newborn. Because of this separation, Tita and decides to hide away from the trouble and loss by taking care of a pigeon. It is then when news arrive from San Antonio that Roberto died. Tita goes mad and is sent to a mental house in the United States. There she meets Dr. John Brown, who saves her from dismay and later asks her to marry him. Chencha was Tita's good friend who carried the news to Mama Elena. After her mother dies, she has to return and see Pedro again; tension builds up and Tita's heart is torn apart between the love of her life and the new man who saved her.
Esperanza, Rosaura's second child, is born and named by Tita. This makes Rosaura very jealous and makes Tita more intimate with the girl and her father. This younger sister's heart is compared to the water used to prepare chocolate that is boiled many times before actually making the chocolate. The passion keeps building up until Tita and Pedro cannot resist anymore and get intimate. After losing her virginity, Tita doubts if she should marry John and wonders if she is pregnant. The ghost of Mama Elena haunts her daughter for her betrayal.
At the end, Gertrudis returns to the ranch for a party and they all have a good time. Tita is freed from her mom's spirit after she stands up to her. Some years later, Rosaura dies of gases provoked by Tita's cooking after an argument, freeing Pedro. Her daughter was also freed and goes on to marry Alex; John Brown's son. As for Tita and Pedro, they were passionately ever after; they died together out of passion.
Dear Tita,
I know it is very hard to choose between a sister and a mother, and the man you love. Pedro just married Rosaura so that he could be closer to you. Sometimes guys make the worst choices out of love, but you have to understand him and comfort him.
It is very nice of you to take care of their child, and love him like your own. Be careful with these people because your sister is very bitter and jealous. You know what happens to passionate women when they are angry, some are even capable of making a whole wedding cry desperately. I would advise you to stay close to that child since he is your most precious relative now. Do not let anything or anyone take him away or put him in any danger. Remember that he needs you to survive.
Pedro will come to you if he really loves you and only then will you know if he is worth it. Do not wait for him so anxiously or get your hopes up, just live your life and he might drop by soon. Be proud of being a woman and value yourself or no one else will. You have seen even your mom being cruel and violent towards you; please do not do the same to yourself. The only one that can get you out of the whole you are getting in is yourself. I say we go out to the town, meet some guys like your sister Gertrudis did. Then you can go away far from all judgment and your evil mother. I will go with you, and we can take a couple of guys if you really want to. Maybe Pedro was not meant to be your husband, maybe he will regret not waiting for you, but do not sit here and wait to find out.
Waiting for you,
Yania ?
