Like Water for Chocolate

This film was full of Magic Realism. I did enjoy this film. I thought is was about romance and tragedy. It is bitter sweet.

I found that the traditions portrayed in the film were some good and some bad. The good was how the family appeared to stick together in the beginning and obey the mother even though she was a you know what! Food seemed to be a big part. I hated the tradition of the youngest daughter having to take care of the mother till death. How unfair. I'm not sure if this really happens in cultures or was just in the film. I know in our culture and careers we see that it is a family effort to care for a family member. I liked the way that Pedro went with his father to ask for Tita"s hand in marriage.

Mama Elena character was a mean lady. She was selfish, cruel, and unhappy. She took out all of her frustrations on Tita. How unlucky to have a mother like that. She could not have loved Tita at all. I never saw one once of love shown for anyone from her. She only wanted misery. She was so unhappy and vindictive. In some way she had been denied her love for another man. We never got that story from the film totally. We just knew from the box with his picture in it. She lost her husband because he had a heart attack she caused when he found out one of his children probably was not his. So now she would be all alone. So Tita was going to be the one she punished and would make suffer along with her. What a mother! It's was very sad to watch this.

Tita's character on the other hand was strong. She was loving still. She was basically emotionally abused during the entire film. i can't believe that she remained strong and never gave up. As far as Pedro is concerned I found him to be a coward. He should have ran away with Tita! I think Tita was only hurt more by him marring her sister Rosarura. He was selfish to us the excuse of telling her that was how he was going to be close to her everyday. He must have been stupid not to be able to find another plan. But obliviously we saw from the start that he and Tita fell in love from the very beginning. Like love at first sight. Mama Elena denied them the love they should have had and offer Rosaura instead. How hateful and sick.

The Best part of the magic realism I found in the film was that Tita's tears fell into the cake batter that she had to help make for the wedding that should have been hers! Everyone at the wedding knew that Pedro loved Tita. So when everyone cried as they ate the cake it was as if everyone felt her pain. I can't believe that her sister did this to her. Rosaura knew that Tita and Pedro were in love. What a sister. She was just like mama Elena. That apple didn't fall far from the tree!

Gertrudis didn't like the way Tita was treated. Her character had a wiled side. She wanted to be free. I enjoyed the part of magic realism when Pedro gave Tita the roses and she cooked with them to make sauce for a meal. Pedro thought the food was delicious. Elena had to say it was to salty just to be mean, she would never compliment Tita. during the meal it made them all feel passion. Gertrudis became to hot with passion she ran out to the shower naked and the place caught on fire and blew her hot scent out for a man to smell and find her. It was so funny when she got on the horse with the man and she was naked riding off.

Another part of magic realism used was after Pedro and Rosaura left and their son died because Tita was no longer able to feed him. Tita went nuts and Dr. Paul came to take her away and treat her. As they rode off you saw the afghan Tita knitted as she cried ever night. It was so long and represent the sadness and hurt Tita had been through. Tita tried to get over Pedro and became found of Dr. Paul. Paul told her the story about all of us having a book of matches inside and needing oxygen and a flame to light them. But one at a time. If all of the matches ere lite at one time we would basically die.

After mama Elena died which was a good part of the film Tita went back home. Pedro and Rosura returned to. Gurtudis even returned for a while. Tita was going to marry the doctor. But then she could not because she loved Pedro to much. She knew he was the only one for her.

At the end of the film I was glad that Rosara died to. I thought it was ironic that the doctors son married Esperanza. Tita prepared the food for the wedding and again everyone that ate had explosive feelings.

Finally Pedro and Tita could be together. They we no longer forbidden and denied. It was sad that their love ended up killing them from all the passion they had for each other. Their internal matches finally got the oxygen and flame they had been denied and it consumed them.

I loved that the cook book and story was passed on to the next generations and that the tradition of the youngest daughter was broken. i would enjoy watching this film with my daughters. I think it has a lot of good messages in it.