Discuss the role of tradition in the global text you have studied and the impact it has on the characters(TM) lives
Research Essay
“Discuss the role of tradition in the global text you have studied and the impact it has on the characters’ lives.”
Words: 1035
Like Water for Chocolate is Laura Esquivel’s first novel, first published in 1989, and became a bestseller in the author's native Mexico. Esquivel uses a creative way of bringing in monthly recipes to tell the story, just like Amy Coffin said “Throughout the book, the food is described in such detail, that I could taste every flavor”. The story is about a girl, named Tita, whose life connects closely to the kitchen when she’s young. Her love has been forbidden by her wicked mother, which makes her life miserable. The novel's imaginative mix of recipes, home remedies, and love story set in Mexico in the early part of the century induce readers to think about the insane tradition that causes bad things.
In this story, tradition is the main cause of everything, starts from Mama Elena. She loves Jose, who carries Negro blood. Later, her family discovers and because of tradition they prevent her from being with him by force her into marriage with Juan De la Garza, Tita’s father. Mama Elena gets pregnant with Jose blood inside her baby’s body. She plans to run away with Jose but he is murdered. Then she gives birth to Jose’s child. Juan finally knows about her love with Jose and dies of a heart attack in the day Tita is born. Tita is Juan’s third child who Mama Elena doesn’t love although Tita always tries to treat her dutifully. All her life she has been abusing Tita as she wants to take revenge for her love on Tita because when Tita is born, Juan dies (may be Mama Elena blames her for the death of Juan). No one knows about this truth of her past except herself. She just keeps it as a secret for her entire life. If Mama Elena tells Tita, she may feel sympathetic for her mother and Pedro may wait for his true love until Mama Elena passes away. In the end, Mama Elena kills herself by taking ipecac.