Chapter 1:
"Tita was so sensitive to onions, anytime they were being chopped, they say she would just cry and cry; when she was still in my great-grandmother's belly her sobs were so loud that even Nacha, the cook, who was half-deaf, could hear them easily. Once her wailing got so violent that it brought on an early labor. And before my great-grandmother could let out a word or even a whimper, Tita made her entrance into this world, prematurely, right there on the kitchen table..."
The first chapter of Laura Esquivel's novel Like Water for Chocolate begins with Tita being born and crying gallons upon gallons of salty tears that would eventually dry and create cooking salt used for the decades after. Tita, being born in the kitchen, is undoubtedly tied to it in some mystical way, especially having such great talent in cooking as we see very quickly as the story progresses.
However, as we begin to be introduced to different characters, including her sisters Gertrudis and Rosaura, and her mother, Mama Elena, we also begin to gain a perspective on Tita's relationship with the rest of her family and the familial duties and responsibilities that come with it.
As the passage follows, Tita is filled with immense doubt and anxiety regarding this family tradition of serving her mother for her entire life. This duty becomes an issue that as we begin to see with Mama
Elena's stringent tradition and absolute commands,will destroy the relationship between the mother and the daughter. Tita wondered about the things she would do for her youth, the best time of her life. Would she ever have fun? Would she ever find love? She yearned for some freedom, but Mama Elena would never allow it.
We begin to see Tita incredibly frustrated once Mama Elena decides to allow Pedro to marry Rosaura instead of her, ostensibly his actual love. This was ultimately due to Mama Elena's desire to keep Tita as her caretaker for life, and as a result she could not stand that, and it is seen that not even the warm, tasty Christmas rolls, which had been among her favorite foods, could not even ameliorate those "black holes" that lingered in her broken and despairing hear, nor warm that "infinite coldness" that pulsated through her body as she sprawled haplessly on her bed.
Chapter 2:
"What's the matter?Why the shaking? Are we going to start having problems? Tita raised her eyes and looked at her. She felt like screaming, Yes, she was having problems, when they had chosen something to be neutered, they'd made a mistake, they should have chosen her. At least then there would be some justification for not allowing her to marry and giving Rosaura her place beside the man she loved."
Tita's hopes had been rekindled once Pedro confessed his intentions of marrying Rosaura instead of blatantly rejecting Mama Elena's offer in the previous chapter. Pedro had offered those words, beautifully described as a "fresh breeze fanning embers that had been about to die." Tita had been tortured for months not being able to be with her lover, the very person that she had yearned to be in the presence of, especially when Mama Elena oppressed her and confined her life to the kitchen and to doing menial tasks.
For Tita, Pedro had become an escape from this oppressive world under her tyrannical mother, and it became a chance for her to experience freedom, love, intense passion, and true enjoyment in life. In the final lines of the passage, it says, "She could have stayed in his arms forever, but a look form her mother made her pull away in a hurry." Mama Elena is virtually the only barrier between their love, but that being said, a very formidable barrier.
Chapter 3:
"With a deep breath, she took hold of the first one and twisted its neck, as she had seen Nacha do so often, but she used too liitle force to kill the poor quail, which went running pitifully around the kitchen, its head hanging to one side. She was horrified! She realized that you can't be weak when it comes to killing: you have to be strong or it just causes more sorrow. It occurred to her that she could use her mother's strength right now. Mama Elena was merciless, killing with a single blow."
Even after Nacha , who had been Tita's closest companion in the kitchen died, Tita still sufficed and continued to cook. In this chapter, she made a very potent dish quail in a very special rose petal sauce. She acquired the rose petals from Pedro, and although her mother wanted her to throw them out, she refused and ultimately decided to cook with them after being told by an apparition of Nacha. Even her blood went in the recipe, along with the many passions and emotions ,the full range of happiness, sadness, mourning, and love, she felt at the time.
That all "too salty" dish had caused quite powerful reactions in those at the table. Tita and Pedro, of course, ultimately found a new way to communicate and stimulate their love, altogether past Mama Elena's barriers and attempts to separate them. This "strange alchemical process" had formulated such a substance that allowed them to embrace each other through what Tita was best at doing, cooking.
Chapter 4:
"They stayed in this amorous ecstasy until Pedro lowered his eyes and stared steadily at Tita's breasts. She stopped grinding, straightened up, and proudly lifted her chest so Pedro could see it better. His scrutiny changed their relationship forever. After that penetrating look that saw through clothes, nothing would ever be the same. Tita' knew through her own flesh how fire transforms the elements, how a lump of corn flour is changed into a tortilla, how a soul that hasn't been warmed by the fire of love is lifeless.."
After Roberto had been born once Pedro and Rosaura decided to have sex, Tita prepared the baptismal ceremony, which, of course included the meals that they were going to eat. Between the two lovers, they begin to come closer and closer in contact with each other, making every attempt to become near or communicate in some way.
This became evident when, as seen in this passage, Tita became responsible to breastfeed the baby, which was strange since she was a virgin and hadn't been pregnant, and as a result, she had this "great tenderness," with which she was able to feel this vast array of "conflicting emotions" that they longed to experience for a long time. They loved each other greatly, desired more from one another, yearned to feel tenderness in their hearts a midst a cold and hostile environment for their love, lusted for their young bodies to consummate, and also felt the shame, the fear of discovery and condemnation. But at the same time, they embraced every moment, what is life or love without risk?
Chapter 5:
"When the rebels arrived, only Mama Elena, Tita, Chencha, and two farmhands, Rosalio and Guadalupe, were at the ranch. Nicholas, the manager, had not yet come back with the cattle he had been forced to go buy; the scarcity of food had made them kill the animals they depended on which he was now trying to replace. He had taken along two of his most trustworthy workers to help him, leaving his son Felipe in charge of the ranch, but Mama Elena had relieved him of that duy sending him to San Antonio, Texas, for news of Pedro and his family."
Mama Elena only continued to become an even larger obstacle not only to Tita's relationship with Pedro, but even her daughter's own happiness and well-being. This tension only escalates when the news came that Roberto had died, since he could no longer feed off of Tita's nourishing breasts like before. As a result, Tita condemned Mama Elena once again for causing such a calamity and grief that she brought upon her.
In this passage, the true nature of Mama Elena is revealed; she is this almost despotic figure in the family. The words that the narrator describes her "skills" as are powerful ,"dividing… dismantling, destroying… dominating." She is almost depicted as this malevolent villain, probably the antagonist to the story and the ultimate enemy to love. But the ironic part is that Mama Elena once experienced love herself, as we will see later on in the story.
Chapter 6:
"As you see, within our bodies each of us has the elements needed to produces phosphorus. And let me tell you something I've never told a soul. My grand mother had a very interesting theory; she said that each of us is born with a box of matches inside us but we can't strike them all by ourselves' just as in the experiment, we need oxygen and a candle to help. In this case, the oxygen, for example, would come from the breath of the person you love; the candle could be any kind of food, music, caress, word, or sound that engenders the explosion that lights one of the matches. "
After being exiled from the ranch, Tita begins a new life, and while she is in shambles and rather extreme emotional ruins, she finds recovery in a benevolent gentleman that she meets and becomes close to — Dr. John Brown. After being away from Pedro for a prolonged period of time, she feels emotionally and romantically starved, but I believe she still yearned to experience intimacy,to be cared for in these times of need, and for her soul to be stirred.
And so Dr. Brown came at the right time for solace. He had the capacity to "kindle her desire," to give her that "pleasant sensation" she hadn't felt for so long. Prior to this, no one truly took care of her with such a great deal of attention and love besides Nacha. I have a feeling that Tita always longed to be in the caring arms of another, and John truly gave her that peace and security that she wanted. With this, she contemplated her future; would she go back to the ranch? Back to her old life? What about Pedro? Questions would linger with her for a while, but as the story goes on, we will see how certain events will begin to affect her decisions.
Chapter 7:
"Oh, but you already have the best one right here. I understand that your daughter Tita is an exceptional cook. Someday I'm going to come and ask you for her hand".
"You know that can't marry!" She exclaimed, gripped by a violent agitation.
John kept quiet. It didn't suit him to inflame Mama Elena. Therer was no point, for he had resolved to marry Tita with or without Mama Elena's permission. He knew too that Tita was no longer so concerned about that absurd destiny of hers and that as soon as she was eighteen years old, they would get married."
It is evident that Tita still cares for her family, despite Mama Elena's irrationality and mistreatment. When the ranch was attacked, Tita had returned to care for them, but once again she had to face the repressive nature of Mama Elena and her rejection of any love, even filial. Soon enough, Mama Elena dies, but Tita discovers something profound.
In the passage, Tita's view on her mother is only partly unchanged, but the other side, the past that her mother had experienced ,completely changes her perception of her mother. Did Mama Elena not feel empathy, even if she went through this "frustrated love" just as she did in her youth? At the same time, Tita found "true love" in John with this knowledge. But still that old image of Pedro still lingers in her mind, reminding her of this even truer love, one that is characterized by risk, infinite passion, and burning desire. Was that worth giving up security, comfort, and peace?
Chapter 8:
"In one hand she was carrying the pot, in the other, an oil lamp. She pushed her way into the storeroom, trying not to trip on all the things that stood in her path, the many cooking pans that were kept there because they were not often used. The light from that lamp helped a little, but not enough, it didn't reveal the shadow that slipped silently into the room behind her and shut the door.
Sensing another's presence, Tita spun around, the light clearly revealed the figure of Pedro, barring the door."
A wave of emotions befalls Tita in this eventful chapter. Not only is she completely frustrated with Rosaura's decision to keep Esperanza, her newborn child,much like Tita was for Mama Elena as a lifelong servant, but Tita also feels great conflict when she contemplates her relationship with John and Pedro. She would have to sacrifice something if she chose one over the other. Furthermore, she wanted to save the child from the repression that Mama Elena put her through, as it reminds her of a dark, dark past.
In the passage above, the namesake of the book is given, as Tita is described as being "literally 'like water for chocolate.'" She was driven up and down circles, driven to the limit of her emotional state. In this state of mind, she found everything, even the peaceful and solacing sound of doves, infuriating and disturbing. But once Chencha came in, she could ameliorate and let her cool down. But once John leaves for America, Tita is left with Pedro during these moments of respite.
Chapter 9:
"Close the door, child. Can't you feel how cold it is? Lately you've seemed so up in the air. What is bothering you?"
Nothing. Except she had missed a period and thought she was pregnant; and she had to tell john when he came back to marry her to cancel the wedding, and she had to leave the ranch if she wanted to have her baby without problems, and she had to give up Pedro forever, since she couldn't go on hurting Rosaura."
Tita faces an even larger dilemma as she becomes entangled with different decisions that she must make in her life. When she had decided to have sex with Pedro, she risked having a baby. The aftermath of that even became one that she would evidently regret. The harm she would cause others was immense, and the price she had to pay if she was caught would be even larger. Was this cost worth this dangerous love with Pedro?
Tita owed a great deal to John for all of his care and attention that he gave her when she most needed it. But was this the way to repay him? John was "freedom, peace, serenity, reason." Pedro was anything but those notable characteristics. All Pedro gave Tita was that relentlessly magical sensation of a first love with a burning passion and desire that they could never quite quench.
Chapter 10:
"See what you've done now? You and Pedro are shameless. If you don't want blood to flow in this house, go where you can't do any harm to anybody, before it's too late"
"The one who should be going is you. I'm tired of your tormenting me. Leave me in peace once and for all!" Not until you behave like a good woman, or a decent one at least!"
"What do you mean, decent? Like you?"
"Yes"
"But that's just what I'm doing!" Or didn't you have an illict child?"
"You will be condemned to hell for talking to me like this!"
"No more than you!"
"Shut your mouth! Who do you think you are?" "I know who I a! A person sho has a perfect right to live her life as she pleases. once and for all, leave me alone; I won't put up with you! I hate you, I've always hated you!"
After seeing this passage, it can be seen that Tita longs to be completely free of her mother and her almost dictatorial oppression that even lingers after she passed away. Here, it shows that she yearns to be free — like this "simple seed" with something beautiful growing inside her. She didn't want to be judged any longer, receive any more disapproval, or fear any more punishment or condemnation. Mama Elena, though dead and no longer part of the physical world that Tita has to deal with, has become an apparition — a formidable emotional, sentimental, and mental barrier to Tita that she must overcome.
While Mama Elena can be easily perceived as the antagonist of the novel, even when she is both physically dead and eradicated from Tita's mind as a ghostly, haunting apparition, the story still goes on with a great deal of struggle making her own decisions independent from her mother. Tita is so accustomed to restriction and a lack of freedom, but when she has it, she still indeed has difficulty reconciling many of the difficulties in her life, for example this relational issue, as well as Rosaura's daughter, Esperanza.
Chapter 11:
" That's nonsense! I'm painfully aware of the role you put me in, when everybody on the ranch saw you weeping at Pedro's side, holding his hand so lovingly. Do you know what role that is? Laughingstock! You know, you really don't deserve God's mercy! As far as I'm concerned, I couldn't care less if you and Pedro go to hell for sneaking around kissing in every corner. From now on, you can do it all you want. As long as nobody finds out about it, I don't care, because Pedro is going to have to do it with someone who will, since as for me, e isn't going to put so much as a hand near me ever again. I, I have some self-respect left! Let him go to a loose woman like you for his filthy needs, but here's the thing: in this house I intend to go on being his wife. And in the eyes of everyone else, too. "
In this chapter, as Tita is in ad midst of cooking her tortillas, her sister Rosaura approached her after he week long condemnation and a deficit of sixty-five pounds. Within this confrontation Rosaura states that her only affiliation with Pedro will be the label of marriage, anything outside of that is nonexistent including physical touch. The tortillas, as a result did not cook due to the argument where Nacha's wise words resound in Tita's head. This is of course right after the evident magical realism where the roosters and hens start fighting; resulting in ruined em-embroidered diapers and a twister that sucks all but 3 chickens into the ground.
Now that Tita is finally free from her mothers grasp, she can ultimately choose to stay with Pedro or move on and Marry John. Although John is disappointed after hearing Tita's affair with Pedro, he is still willing to marry her out of his ever-growing love.
Chapter 12:
"At that moment the fiery bodies of Pedro and Tita began to throw off glowing sparks. They set on fire the bedspread, which ignited the entire ranch. The animals had fled just in time to save themselves from the inferno! The dark room was transformed into an erupting volcano. It cast stone and ash in every direction. When the stones reached high enough, they exploded into multicolored lights. From mile away, people in the neighboring towns watched the spectacle, thinking it was fireworks celebrating the wedding of Alex and Esperanza."
As the book concludes with these final chapters, I feel very surprised about the outcome of the Novel. Such events as Rosaura dying from excessive arguing to Pedro and Tita going through the tunnel-of light after intercourse. It felt all too convenient that Rosaura's mother dies, just as Tita's mother died in order for both to get married seeing as they are youngest within there respective parts. Although the ending is very peculiar, my impression is somewhat quelled as the book couldn't end any other way.
