“Without tradition, art is a flock of sheep without a shepherd. Without innovation, it is a corpse.” Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill comments on the necessity of evolving tradition, rather than keeping it as a static force. Laura Esquivel’s novel, Like Water for Chocolate, reinforces the idea of changing traditions. Like Water for Chocolate focuses on the story of the narrator’s great-aunt, Tita De La Garza, and her struggle through the conflict between her family’s tradition and marrying her first love, Pedro Muzquiz. Shortly after, he marries Rosaura, Tita’s oldest sister, to stay close to Tita. To preserve this marriage, Mama Elena, Tita’s mother, works to separate Tita and Pedro, causing only pain for Tita. Despite these
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Furthermore, Gertrudis brings these cream fritters away from the ranch into her future, showing how the memories and identity initially created by these traditional childhood recipes follow them into their futures and continue to affect them throughout their adulthood. Even though Gertrudis has gone through many changes in her life, from living at the ranch, to working at a brothel, and becoming a general of the revolutionary army, she still brings the cream fritters with her, illustrating that despite what changes may occur in their lives, the identity created by tradition will be constant. Through both Tita’s and Gertrudis’ experiences with recipes assisting in their creation of identity, Esquivel illustrates how tradition can help people find themselves and keep their found identity throughout their lives, regardless of any changes that may occur. Along with creating identity, Esquivel uses recipes to comfort and heal Tita, illustrating the supportive nature traditions can take in one’s life and how one can use them to help
Furthermore, Gertrudis brings these cream fritters away from the ranch into her future, showing how the memories and identity initially created by these traditional childhood recipes follow them into their futures and continue to affect them throughout their adulthood. Even though Gertrudis has gone through many changes in her life, from living at the ranch, to working at a brothel, and becoming a general of the revolutionary army, she still brings the cream fritters with her, illustrating that despite what changes may occur in their lives, the identity created by tradition will be constant. Through both Tita’s and Gertrudis’ experiences with recipes assisting in their creation of identity, Esquivel illustrates how tradition can help people find themselves and keep their found identity throughout their lives, regardless of any changes that may occur. Along with creating identity, Esquivel uses recipes to comfort and heal Tita, illustrating the supportive nature traditions can take in one’s life and how one can use them to help