Like Water For Chocolate By Laurel Esquivel

What are some of the required characteristics for a novel to be considered as a “feminist novel”? Feminism is the belief that all women should be allowed the same opportunities, power, and rights as men. After reading Laurel Esquivel’s novel, “Like Water for Chocolate”, the characters and their traits portray the femininity of the novel. In order to understand the feminist representation of “Like Water for Chocolate”, two characters of the novel are chosen to portray feminism due to their given characteristics that are seen in the text. By using the quality traits of Mama Elena and Gertrudis, it will prove to readers that “Like Water for Chocolate” was written as a feminist novel.

Due to her authoritative and assertive personality, Mama

Elena is portrayed as a prominent representation of feminism in “Like Water for Chocolate”. Although she is a woman responsible for three of her daughters in the ranch after the death of her husband, Mama Elena takes charge of the place dauntlessly and aggressively.

For example, when the revolutionary army stopped by the ranch in chapter five, “her gaze met that of the captain in charge, and he knows immediately from the steeliness of her eyes that they were in the presence of a woman to be reckoned with” (Esquivel 89). Because of this, it portrays Mama Elena as a fearless woman who stands on her own grounds against an entire army of men. Therefore, this quality helps define Mama Elena’s character in the novel as a figure of feminism. As Mama Elena points the gun out to the captain when he came to the ranch, she tells him, “I have a very good aim and a bad temper, Captain. The next shot is for you, and I assure you that I can shoot you before they can kill me” (Esquivel 90). IN doing so, this shows Mama Elena’s independence and valiant manner towards protecting her property against the army. Therefore, this also helps understand the femininity of the novel because of the courage Mama Elena takes up in this moment. Another reason why Mama Elena’s character is considered a depiction of feminism is because her traits are often described as being associated with a man’s characteristic. For instance, Tita discreetly explains that “when it came to dividing, dismantling, dismembering,

desolating, detaching, dispossessing, destroying, or dominating, Mamam Elena was a pro (Esuivel 97). By using alliteration, Mama Elena’s character is defined as a woman who holds aggressive and bold impulses. Thus, representing male characteristics and traits that Mama Elena obtain, therefore, making Mama elena’s character a feminist figure. Another depiction of Mama Elena’s male-like traits is when “she could crack sack after sack of nuts in a short time, [and] she seemed to take a great pleasure in doing it” (Esquivel 230). Because of this, the characteristic traits of Mama Elena are viewed more as male qualities due to the portrayal of power in Mama Elena’s actions in cracking nuts. Therefore, MamaElena’s description of her character’s masculinity is an important representation of feminism because it shows the equality of both men and women. Furthermore, Mama Elena’s character and traits allow readers to understand “Like Water for Chocolate” as a feminist novel.
Because of her determination and intelligence, Gertrudis also portrays the characteristics of a figure that helps “Like Water for Chocolate” be seen as a feminist novel.

Even though she was only associated with music and rhythm in the beginning, her character develops into an independent woman who continues to play the role of being the eldest sister. For example, after running away from home, Gertrudis learns her position in her own life, and later comes back to the ranch as “a general in the revolutionary army” and had “fought like mad on the field of battle” (Esquivel 178-179). In doing so, Gertrudis depicted herself as an individualistic person, and was able to make decisions for herself. The goals she was able to reach when she found her own path support her character to be described as a feminist, thus help the reader understand “Like Water for Chocolate” was written as a feminist novel. Another portrayal of Gertrudis’ character of feminism is when her sister, Tita, confides to her about her problems, and suggests that she “has no choice but to stand up for the truth, right now” (Esquivel 190). Because of this, it shows that Gertrudis knows how to act under pressure, and guides Tita to confront her problems. Thus, depicts the intelligence that Gertrudis shares from what she obtains, showing the feminist side of character as intuitive. Another example of this situation is when Gertrudis was able to help push Tita to face her problems with Pedro by standing by the door,

“with the practiced eye she’d gained on the battlefield, made a strategic estimate of the time it would take for Pedro to step over the threshold of the door, so that at the precise moment” (Esquivel 190-191), so she could start the conversation between the two of them. Because of this, it indicates that Gertrudis became a bright and clever woman after allowing herself to join the army and make her own decisions. Therefore, this shows how the intelligence of Gertrudis’ character is a significant representation of feminism. Furthermore, the characteristic traits of Gertrudis depicts the important delineation of the feminist voice of the novel.
After reading the novel, “Like Water for Chocolate”, the characters of the story will allow the reader to interpret the novel as written in a feminist point of view. Because of their strong characteristic traits, Mama Elena and Gertrudis were characters that represent the feminist positions of the novel. For example, they both exemplify the independence and fearless personalities. Also, they were both able to take up roles traditionally arranged for males, such as general of the army and “man” of the house. Consequently, using the characteristic traits of Mama Elena and Gertrudis allowed readers to comprehend the perspective of feminism in Laurel Esquivel’s novel, “Like Water for Chocolate”.