Comparison between A Doll's House and Like Water For Chocolate

Love Complications

Love is a complicated and a confusing concept in life. True love is not only determined by the lovers, but by society too. In the works, Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel and A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, there is at least one couple who struggles about love. In Like Water for Chocolate, Pedro and Tita’s relationship is blocked by obstacles and complications, while in A Doll’s House, Nora and Torvald’s relationship is complicated by misunderstanding between the two characters. The Society tries to impose its rules of what true love is on the couples. Using the love relationships of their protagonists, Esquivel and Ibsen explore the effects of societal pressure on interpersonal relationships and self esteem.

Experiencing one obstacle after another, Pedro and Tita are blocked from marrying and loving each other. Mama Elena, Tita’s mother, refuses to let Tita get married because Tita is Mama Elena’s youngest daughter. The tradition in the family is that the youngest daughter must serve her mother until the day her mother dies. Tita and Pedro experienced youthful, love at first sight. Pedro said to Tita in their first conversation, “I need an answer now…I swear that my love for you will last forever. What about you? Do you feel the same way about me?” (Esquivel 18). Tita responds, “Yes!... Yes, a thousand times.”(18). Unfortunately, society, in the guise of Mama Elena’s family tradition, denies them marriage. Mama Elena represents what is socially acceptable. She stands between Tita and Pedro. Furthermore, Mama Elena humiliates Tita by offering Tita’s older sister, Rosaura to marry Pedro and forcing Tita cook all the food for her sister’s wedding party. Eventually, Mama Elena determines that Tita’s rebellion is “craziness” so she sends her away to an insane asylum. Dr. John Brown does not take her to the asylum, but takes her to his home where she is cared for with love and gentleman. During her stay with John Brown, Tita explores the intellectual love. In the beginning, she thought she could learn to love John Brown, but in the end, she still chooses Pedro over John Brown. The obstacles throughout the difficult relationship between Pedro and Tita did not weaken the love between them, instead, it make the relationship stronger than before.

This is a preview of the whole essay

On the other hand, Nora and Torvald have a socially acceptable marriage. Torvald is a “manly” man, who has wealth and status and is well respected by everyone. Torvald’s trophy wife, Nora, is a woman whom society sees as a perfect wife for a man. Nora is a pretty woman who is seemingly obedient to her husband, and they live together in a decent home with their young children. Nora secretly rebels against society and Torvald. Women during the time were not allowed to handle any money. Nora borrowed money from Krogstad illegally. However, the family lives together happily only before Nora had her “spiritual awakening.” Nora at first feels that Torvald loves her and will sacrifices himself for her if anything was to happen. At the end, after seeing the true Torvald, who is selfish, concerned only about appearances, Nora leaves. She no longer understands Torvald nor did he understand her.

The female characters in both works experience an “awakening” and this awakening gives both characters a new and stronger sense of self esteem. Tita’s personal awakening, when she ends Mama Elena’s influence forever after chasing away Mama Elena’s “ghost”, results in a stronger bond with Pedro. “I’m tired of your tormenting me. Leave me in peace once and for all” (Esquivel 199). She refuses to follow what Mama Elena wants her to do. At the same moment, she finally knows what she wants and who she is. She said to Mama Elena, “I know who I am! A person who has a perfect right to live her life as she pleases. One and for all, leave me alone; I won’t put up with you! I hate you, I’ve always hated you!”(Esquivel 199) From that moment forward, Tita did what she wants to do without anyone telling her want she may or may not do. While on the other hand, Nora in A Doll’s House, through her awakening, realizes she never loved Torvald, her own husband, nor did he love her. They never understood each other either. Nora told Torvald, “You don’t understand me, and I have never understood you either- before tonight” (Ibsen 65). “You have never loved me. You have only thought it pleasant to be in love with me” (Ibsen 66). This new insight separates Nora and Torvald. Seeing the true Torvald, She accepts that love is not only about sacrificing for loved ones, but also to help herself, to have self esteem, and to think for herself. However, it’s partially society’s fault for the way Torvald acts. Society has always had a significant impact on relationships and behavior of people even till this day. Society rules and view impacts relationships positively and negatively. In some relationships, for instance, between Tita and Pedro, society rules results in a stronger bond between the couple. For twenty years, Tita and Pedro’s love must remain secret from society since Rosaura demands that they maintain the appearance that Rosaura’s and Pedro’s marriage is sound. Pedro marrying Rosaura is a socially acceptable marriage, but behind that marriage brought Pedro closer to Tita. This marriage strengthens the bond between Tita and Pedro. “I am sure I will be (happy), since through this marriage, I have gained what I really wanted: the chance to be near you (Tita), the woman I really love…” (Esquivel 38). However, on the other hand, Torvald and Nora’s relationship is torn up by society rule. Torvald is all about appearances. He wants to be recognized and appreciated by the community, so he cares about how he looks and acts in front of others. His selfish care about how he looks in front of people separates Torvald and Nora. The conflict released the true Torvald. Nora is willing to sacrifice her status in her community to save Torvald. She reveals to the audience that she entered into an illegal, loan relationship with Krogstad to protect Torvald’s health. In the end, he did not stand up to take the blame even though it is his fault Nora had to borrow money illegally, he blames Nora. He said terrible selfish things like, “Now you have destroyed all my happiness. You have ruined all my future… I must sink to such miserable depths because of a thought less woman!” (Ibsen 62)

Each author stresses personal growth over everything. This may involve rejecting society for loved ones or learning to love oneself. Nora and Tita, through their awakenings, boost their individual self esteem. Tita and Nora learn to love themselves and take control of their own life. Despite all the pressure from society, Tita still loves Pedro till the end. Nora, consequently, leaves Torvald for her own happiness. Using societal pressure, the authors demonstrated that society does have a major impact of relationships and personal self esteem. Some societal pressure separates a couple while some societal pressure ties a couple closer together than before.

Word Count: 1,190

Works Cited

Esquirel, Laura. Like Water for Chocolate. New York: Anchor Books, 1992.

Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1992.