War Rages On In Like Water For Chocolate

War Rages On in Like Water for Chocolate

Although wars are waged for many reasons, ultimately, wars are fought for one

reason; freedom. It is no different in Laura Esquivel's magical realism Like Water for

Chocolate. Just as this novel is staged during the time of the Mexican Revolution of

1910-1917, another war rages on in the confines of a family ranch and in the lives of the

people who dwell there. Esquivel cleverly uses the backdrop of the war to explore the

individual lives and their struggle to attain the revolution's goal for themselves;

independence.

"War is Hell," a famous, yet simple quote from General William T. Sherman in

another great civil war, is accurate in this story as Tita the youngest daughter of Mama

Elena finds that her own life is hell, while living under the rule of her tyrannical mother.

Though her mother keeps Tita from marrying the love of her life (Pedro) and living

in that joyous communion, Tita eventually becomes victorious in her pursuit of love and

her journey toward self realization. She is forbidden to marry because of a long held

family tradition enforced by her mother and Tita not only finds herself in conflict with

her mother, sister and her lover but also within her own existence.

The rigid family tradition that the youngest daughter is to remain unmarried in

order to care for her mother in old age becomes a thorn in Tita's flesh. Her unwillingness

to accept this undesirable assignment causes her to become a rebel against the abuse, pain

and fear her mother inflicts upon her. Her cause is evident; injustice. Tita is willing to

commit herself to fight against a life of injustice, a life that confines her to a life without

love. Though Tita submits to the demanding regimen her mother sets for her daily

through unending chores, she has an inner strength that fuels her purpose to continue to

fight for generation of daughters to come.

Tita uses an unexpected weapon to achieve her goal of victory; food. She realizes

the power that food offers her. The first experience of this power is wielded at the

wedding of her sister Rosaura and Tita's forbidden lover. At conflict with her sister for

accepting the marriage proposal from Pedro, angered and hurt by Pedro's decision to

submit rather than fight valiantly for her, Tita pours her tears and emotions into the

food she is forced to prepare for their wedding. The result is a violent display of

vomiting and a terrible sense of loss and sadness among all the wedding guests as they

partake of the wedding cake. This may very well be Tita's initial victory of the many

battles she encounters in this war.

Explosions are necessary at times during war to gain ground against the enemy

and advance toward victory. When Tita is taught how to make matches from the loving

and caring Dr. John Brown, she also learns the theory that an inner fire burns in each

person. He explains to her his ideas about this internal box of matches and how each one

contains