The Choices In Like Water For Chocolate By Laura Esquivel

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Can true love defeat all the odds? This seems to be the main question going throughout Laura Esquivel’s, “ Like Water For Chocolate”. This story takes place in Mexico, with a young woman named Tita trying to be with her love, Pedro. With Mother Elena upholding family tradition it seems Tita will never find true happiness. In the beginning of the story Tita and Pedro seem to favor each other. Pedro then asks his father is he may ask for Tita’s hand in marriage. During the Meeting Mama Elena explains to Pedro and his father that Tita cannot marry, because she is the youngest daughter and must take care of her in Elena’s old age. Elena then proposes her other daughter, Rosaura to Pedro. Pedro then accepts and explains to his father that he just …show more content…

This causes Tita to take her anger out on Elena. This is the first time Tita has stood up for herself. Later in the story Elena grows sick and dies. Then her ghost comes back to yell at Tita for becoming pregnant with Pedro. With this I wonder, did Elena ever really love Tita? This is her daughter and she never showed compassion for her. Throughout the story she has treated Tita more like a slave than her daughter. Also in the story the readers find out that Elena went through the same thing Tita is experiencing. Elena was in love with a man, but her parents forbid the marriage. They then proposed that she marry another man and was forced to go through with it. Elena continued the affair with her love and became pregnant. The man that Elena loved was killed before she had any chance to run away with him. Leaving her heartbroken with a man in whom she does not love. So Elena, out of all people should understand what Tita is going through. Most people would assume that Elena would be all for Tita marrying Pedro, but for some odd reason she won 't let it happen. Some might wonder if Elena has the mindset of, “If I couldn 't have my love, neither can she”. This thought process is extremely childish though. Elena can see Tita suffering through this, but never changes her ways. Why would anyone want to see his or her own child suffer? Elena has to have some good in her; unfortunately she never seems to show it. Even as a ghost she curses Tita and her child. Now that in death she still can’t accept Tita and what she chooses. There doesn 't seem to be much love in this family. Even after all these issues and foolish family traditions, Rosaura has decided to not let Esperanza marry. No one has seemed to learn that not allowing their child to marry only causes

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