In Laura Esquivel’s mystical novel Like Water For Chocolate, food plays an incredibly prominent role. Food acts not only as a common theme that ties all the characters’ lives together, but also as a way for Tita, the central character, to convey her sometimes pent-up emotions to the rest of the world. The effects of her food on those who eat it are often fantastical and unrealistically intense; this is an example of magical realism, a literary style characterized by the inclusion of impossible events in an otherwise realistic setting. By employing magical realism to make specific sentiments more prominent, Esquivel successfully communicates the role of food in Tita’s life as a carrier of emotion. One of Tita’s first contributions to a family
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Her emotional contribution here does not come in the form of a physical additive; rather, perhaps it is the care she takes in shelling the nuts, a task that “was well worth the sacrifice,” as “it had a special significance for her” (230). Later, Pedro’s proposal of marriage further amplifies these feelings of care and dedication, adding even more power to the dish. When the wedding guests eat Tita’s chiles, they absorb all of her love, affection, and desire, culminating in a widespread “sensation like the one Gertrudis had when she ate the quails in rose sauce” (241). Unlike in previous situations, however, where Tita was not overcome by the same feelings as other people who ate her food, she and Pedro are affected in the same way. Because there is no longer any reason for them to hide their love, they are swept up in a fiery-hot blaze of passion that takes both their lives. Making use of magical realism allows Esquivel to put particular emphasis on how Tita and Pedro, having “spent too many years worrying about what people will say,” can finally get some closure regarding their dilemma-ridden relationship (237). A fiery, ethereal end to the couple’s lives serves as a cleaner finale than if they had lived out the rest of their days together. There is nothing left for them in this world; the destruction of the ranch and subsequent fertility of the land shows that it is now Alex and …show more content…
Food is the means by which Tita can express her emotions vicariously through other people; the importance of food both to the De La Garza family and to the plot of the novel makes it an ideal tool for this. Translating the same sentiment across various numbers of people shows that while these emotions might be Tita’s alone as responses to specific circumstances, they are truly universal
Her emotional contribution here does not come in the form of a physical additive; rather, perhaps it is the care she takes in shelling the nuts, a task that “was well worth the sacrifice,” as “it had a special significance for her” (230). Later, Pedro’s proposal of marriage further amplifies these feelings of care and dedication, adding even more power to the dish. When the wedding guests eat Tita’s chiles, they absorb all of her love, affection, and desire, culminating in a widespread “sensation like the one Gertrudis had when she ate the quails in rose sauce” (241). Unlike in previous situations, however, where Tita was not overcome by the same feelings as other people who ate her food, she and Pedro are affected in the same way. Because there is no longer any reason for them to hide their love, they are swept up in a fiery-hot blaze of passion that takes both their lives. Making use of magical realism allows Esquivel to put particular emphasis on how Tita and Pedro, having “spent too many years worrying about what people will say,” can finally get some closure regarding their dilemma-ridden relationship (237). A fiery, ethereal end to the couple’s lives serves as a cleaner finale than if they had lived out the rest of their days together. There is nothing left for them in this world; the destruction of the ranch and subsequent fertility of the land shows that it is now Alex and …show more content…
Food is the means by which Tita can express her emotions vicariously through other people; the importance of food both to the De La Garza family and to the plot of the novel makes it an ideal tool for this. Translating the same sentiment across various numbers of people shows that while these emotions might be Tita’s alone as responses to specific circumstances, they are truly universal