Laura Esquivel's Like Water For Chocolate

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Recommended: Female sexual roles in literature

It is often those with the least that give the most. A prevalent themes in this sections readings is one of giving and production. I’ll be covering Laura Esquivel’s “Like Water for Chocolate”, Dorothy Allison’s “River of Names’ and Maya Angelou’s “Our Grandmothers”. The women in these stories overcome patriarchal obstacles through means of motherhood, production, and conscious non-production. These mode of production consequently leads them to better serve themselves and those around them by the reclaiming of spaces both physical and metaphysical. In turn women break the bonds of patriarchal oppression. In Marikit Tara Alto Uychoco’s “Like Water for Chocolate: The Rewriting of the Female Experience and Its Parallels in Philippine History” …show more content…

This control of Tita fulfills a long standing family tradition. This narrative presents Mama Elena as the patriarchal force denying Tita a life of her own. This is reinforced by Mama Elena's dialogue with Tita attempting disagree with her mother's ruling “But in my opinion. . . You don't have an opinion” (Esquivel 11) states Mama Elena thus Tita’s fate is decided by one other than her own. Tita being destined to a life of service to the patriarchy begins to reclaim her power through different avenues of production. Mama Elena having broken her back requires Tita to return to the ranch in order to take care of her. “For that reason wanted with all her heart to give her the best possible care” (Esquivel 131). Mama Elena’s spinal injury symbolizes a return to infancy and the need and care for a mother. Tita playing the part of mother does so willingly out of the kindness of her heart thus shifting the power dynamic in the relationship to one of more equal …show more content…

Coming from a tragic upbringing in South Carolina our narrator presents us with story after story of tragic death, suicide, murder and rape. For example “What’s a South Carolina Virgin? At’s a ten-year-old can run fast.”(Allison 6) the life the narrator describes is one where in society literally attacks the narrator's physical and mental well being with acts of violence, “DEAD BY AN ACT OF MAN, With Prick still in them”(Allison 6). All of this tragedy serves the narrator to reject becoming a mother “I can't have children. I’ve never wanted children” (Allison 12). She thinks about why she would want to bring a child into a society ruled by a patriarchal force that only serves to harm her and the people in her family. An example arises of what might happen if she were to bring a child into the world. Her sister after having a child is plagued with illness and a failing job market moves back in with their stepfather. Unable to cope with her situation explodes at her crying baby “I'll kill him.”(Allison 11) . The narrator intervenes with simple “Don’t” breaks her hysteria as the sister hints that the pattern of abuse will continue her sister saying “We ain't no different”(Allison 11). A society whether through action, in the cases of rape or murder, or inaction, in the case with family members and society as a whole ignoring a whole sect of abuse victims. Our

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