Essay On Like Water For Chocolate By Laura Esquivel

cFeminism in the book Like Water For Chocolate The novel, Like Water For Chocolate, is a story revolved around love, war, and delicious food. Throughout the book, there are times when the book has been arguably a feminist novel and that “Esquivel reinforces the idea of a community of women” (Ibsen 3). It involves mostly women, and each woman has their own distinct personality trait and shows a version of feminism with many male-like characteristics. The definition of feminism is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. Feminism supports the theme in the book that no matter the circumstance women can overcome anything. The author shows how feminism is a big part in Mexican culture by showing key characteristics

She is shown to be “overwhelming socio-cultural” because she is represented with male characteristics (De Valdes 4). She forbiddens Tita to marry anyone because she is the “youngest daughter [which] means you have to take care of me until the day I die” (Esquivel 10). This statement is an example of women’s role in society, in which it makes the culture “a women’s culture within the social prison of marriage” (De Valdes 1). Through all of the restrictions that Mama Elena gives Tita, she is able to overcome them. Unlike Tita’s other sisters, she “speaks out against her mother’s arbitrary rule” (De Valdes 3). Most women would not “dare to stand up to her mother” and to their oldest sister because of how dominant they are (Ibsen 3). There are many instances when Tita is a brave soul and is able to provide her own opinion. When Tita first found out that she was not able to marry the man she has fallen in love with, she has the courage to say “in my opinion…”(Esquivel 11). In many other households, a woman would not have the courage to do

When “Mama Elena came into the kitchen and informed that she has agreed to Pedro’s marriage- to Rosaura”, (19) both sisters, especially Gertrudis who says that Rosaura “showing no loyalty, not caring a damn that [Tita] really loved him”, are very upset with Rosaura for not trying to change Mama Elena’s mind, (Esquivel 14)/ (Esquivel 190). Another example being a common woman is “when [she] insists upon preparing her only daughter to be her caretaker” (Ibsen 2). Most women back then would take after their family tradition and not try to fix anything about it, so when Rosaura states that, Tita is very mad at her and Rosaura is frowned