Like Water For Chocolate By Esquirel Essay

, Research Paper

Laura Esquirel.s, Like Water for Chocolate, is a modern day Romeo and Juliet

filled with mouthwatering recipes. It has become a valued part of American

literature. The novel became so popular that it was developed into a film,

becoming a success in both America and Mexico. Alfonso Arau directs the film.

After reading the novel and seeing the movie, I discovered several distinct

differences between the two as well as some riveting similarities. The novel

begins with the main character, Tita, being born on the kitchen table. .Tita

had no need for the usual slap on the bottom, because she was already crying as

she emerged; maybe that was because she knew that it would be her lot in life to

be denied marriage .Tita was literally washed into this world on a great tide

of tears that spilled over the edge of the table and flooded across the kitchen

floor. (Esquirel 6). Although this is included in the film with tremendous

accuracy, the movie begins with a different scene. The movie opens with Tita.s

father going to a bar to celebrate the birth of his daughter. On the way a

friend informs him of his wife.s, Mama Elena, affair with a man having Negro

blood in his veins. The terrible news brings on a heart attack killing him

instantly. In the book, this information is not given until the middle chapters.

As the novel continues, another character is introduced, Gertrudis. Gertrudis,

the older sister of Tita, is the first to rebel against her mother.s wishes.

Wanting to escape the securities of home, Gertrudis is overwhelmed by her

lustful passions. A soldier, not too far away, Juan, inhales the aroma of her

desire and heads her way. .The aroma from Gertrudis. body guided him.The

woman desperately needed a man to quench the red-hot fire that was raging inside

her.Gertrudis stopped running when she saw him riding toward her. Naked as she

was, with her loosened hair falling to her waist, luminous, glowing with energy,

she might have been an angel and devil in one woman.Without slowing his

gallop, so as not to waste a moment, he leaned over, put his arm around her

waist, and lifted her onto the horse in front of him, face to face, and carried

her away.The movement of the horse combined with the movement of their bodies

as they made love for the first time, at a gallop and with a great deal of

difficulty . (Esquirel 55). This imagery is tremendous. Every sense that

Esquirel touches in this passage is illuminated in the movie with perfection.

It.s as though Arau took a picture from Esquirel.s mind as she wrote and

cultivated it to film. Later in Esquirel.s novel, Rosalio announces to Mama

Elena that a group of soldiers are approaching the ranch. Mama Elena picks up

her shotgun and hides it under her petticoat. She meets the revolutionaries,

along with two other women, at the entrance of the home. Mama Elena warns the

soldiers not to enter the house. The Captain of the bandits sees the grit and

determination in Mama Elena.s eyes and agrees not to enter. However, the

regiment does manage to round up some feed before leaving. In contrast, the

movie at this point agrees with the revolutionaries entering the ranch, but

disagrees with the rest of the events, possibly to add some action. First, Mama

Elena confronts the bandits but with only one other lady by her side. Secondly,

after a verbal confrontation, the rebels proceed to rape the lady friend, beat

Mama Elena unconscious, and throw her in the lake, killing her. According to the

novel, Mama Elena doesn.t die until later in the book, from a drug overdose.

.At first, Tita and John had no explanation for this strange death, since

clinically Mama Elena had no other malady than her paralysis. But going through

her bureau, they found the bottle of syrup of ipecac and they deduced that Mama

Elena must have taken it secretly. John informed Tita that it was a very strong

emetic that could cause death. (Esquirel 135). Soon after Mama Elena.s death

Gertrudis returns to the ranch. In Esquirel.s tale Gertrudis rides up on a

horse at the head of the revolutionary soldiers. Tita finds out that Gertrudis

is in charge of the troops. Unaware of her mother.s death, Gertrudis has come

back to show Mama Elena that she has triumphed in life. However, despite some

parallels, the movie shows Gertrudis returning to the ranch in a car.

Undoubtedly, giving the audience a greater sense of the prodigal sister.s

success. Believing her mother.s death would release her from the shackles of

tradition, Tita began reaching out to Pedro, her Romeo, whom Mama Elena had

forbid her to see. Nevertheless, Esquirel allows Mama Elena to continue nagging

Tita from beyond the grave. .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 to late.(Esquirel 199). Tita respo

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