Critical Analysis: Like Water For Chocolate

                  "Like Water for Chocolate" by Laura Esquirel is an emotional novel filled with dilemmas. Tita the main character whom is affected by her mothers decisions expresses herself through cooking. Although Tita is the main character, I found it interesting that her great-niece is the narrating the novel. The novel contains tradition among family, food, and how both woman and men were raised. 

                   Food is an important significance in this novel. Food can signify events throughout the book. For example, all twelve chapters have a recipe that represent something meaningful. Food can also symbolize emotions. For instance, when Tita is making Rosaura's wedding cake she starts crying and this causes "a strange intoxication-an acute attack of pain and frustration-that seized the guest" (Esquirel 39). Food can also stand for tradition. Since Tita was the youngest daughter she couldn't marry Pedro Muzquiz, but her older sister Rosaura could and did. The meaning of food or what it represents can be numerous things.