In the novel, Like Water for Chocolate, many customs and cultures are shown throughout. The use of magic realism plays a strong role in showing these, and contributing to the meaning of the work. In this novel the youngest daughter of the family, is forced to follow the tradition of taking care of her mother until the day she dies. The tradition says that it is forbidden for Tita to ever marry and/ or have children. Therefore, Tita’s true love; Pedro married her sister, Rosaura so he would always be around Tita. The marriage of Pedro and Rosaura caused Tita great distress, she blended the emotions she was having, with the food she would prepare. Therefore, whoever would eat the dish would end up having the same emotions Tita was feeling. This
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Later on that night, John was leaving for a few days, taking advantage of John being away, Pedro went into the dark room when Tita was in there alone and took her virginity. To make things even worse, these actions brought in more magic realism by bringing back dead Mama Elena. Bringing Mama Elena’s ghost into the picture is using magic realism to show just how controlled Tita was by her, and how intimidating she could be “You are worthless, a good-for-nothing who doesn 't respect even yourself” (173). Mama Elena’s ghost will appear yet again, using the same use of magic realism with spirits. She appears again when Pedro is drunk singing to Tita underneath her window, this infuriated Mama Elena, she started to threaten Tita, and for once Tita stood up to her telling her she hated her, causing her to shrink into only a ball of light. However, that ball of light then flew out the window, setting Pedro on fire. The fire is also a use of magic realism, because in reality that is impossible to happen. The use of magic realism in the section is essential to the entire story, it shows how hurtful Mama Elena could be and how bad she made Tita feel. This contributes to the entire meaning of the work, because Mama Elena has tortured Tita since the day she was born, being her back from the dead is only enhances how brutal she
Later on that night, John was leaving for a few days, taking advantage of John being away, Pedro went into the dark room when Tita was in there alone and took her virginity. To make things even worse, these actions brought in more magic realism by bringing back dead Mama Elena. Bringing Mama Elena’s ghost into the picture is using magic realism to show just how controlled Tita was by her, and how intimidating she could be “You are worthless, a good-for-nothing who doesn 't respect even yourself” (173). Mama Elena’s ghost will appear yet again, using the same use of magic realism with spirits. She appears again when Pedro is drunk singing to Tita underneath her window, this infuriated Mama Elena, she started to threaten Tita, and for once Tita stood up to her telling her she hated her, causing her to shrink into only a ball of light. However, that ball of light then flew out the window, setting Pedro on fire. The fire is also a use of magic realism, because in reality that is impossible to happen. The use of magic realism in the section is essential to the entire story, it shows how hurtful Mama Elena could be and how bad she made Tita feel. This contributes to the entire meaning of the work, because Mama Elena has tortured Tita since the day she was born, being her back from the dead is only enhances how brutal she