1. Like Water for Chocolate
ENGLISH 12:
HOCK/Garcia
Fall 2016

2. Like Water For Chocolate Como Agua Para Chocolate
Laura Esquivel, born in Mexico, 1950
Grew up in Mexico City; attended Escuela Normal de Maestros
"I grew up in a modern home, but my grandmother lived across the street in an old house that was built when churches were illegal in Mexico.”-Laura Esquivel

3. She also wrote the screenplay when it became a movie.
About the BOOK
She also wrote the screenplay when it became a movie.
LWFC was published first in Spanish in 1989.
It was translated into English in 1992.

4. Genre: Magical Realism
Like Water for Chocolate belongs to the genre of magical realism.
This is a style of storytelling, which infuses magical elements into mundane everyday situations, conditions, and practices.
The idea is to reveal essential and extraordinary aspects of human relations imbedded in everyday activities.

5. Brief Synopsis
Reportedly, Esquivel used an episode from her own family to write her book. She had a great-aunt named Tita, who was forbidden to wed.
The book has been a tremendous international success: The No. 1 best-selling book in Mexico for three years; it's also been translated into 23 languages.

6. Set-up
Each chapter is a “monthly installment" and labeled with the months of the year; we learn of Tita's struggle to pursue true love and claim her independence.
Each installment features a recipe to begin each chapter.
Food is often a direct cause of physical and emotional unrest in the story, and serves as a medium through which emotions can be expressed.

7. Chapter Organization Month by Month
January: Christmas Rolls
February: Chabela Wedding Cake
March: Quail in Rose Petal Sauce
April: Turkey Mole with Almonds and Pumpkin Seeds
May: Northern Style Chorizo
June: A Recipe for Making Matches
July: Ox Tail Soup
August: Champandongo
September: Chocolate and Three Kings Day Bread
October: Cream Fritters
November: Beans with Chile Tezcucana Style
December: Chiles in Walnut Sauce

8. Main Characters
Tita – the protagonist, youngest daughter of Mama Elena
Mama Elena – forceful, tyrannical matriarch of the De La Garza family
Pedro – Tita’s true love and soul mate
Rosaura – second daughter of Mama Elena, who marries Pedro
Gertrudis – eldest daughter, becomes a general in the revolutionary army
Dr. John Brown – falls in love with Tita, they have an unrequited love
Nacha – the ranch cook, Tita’s mentor
Chencha – Tita’s companion in the kitchen
Roberto & Esperanza – children of Pedro and Rosaura
Alex – son of Dr. Brown, father of the narrator. Marries Esperanza

9. Mexican Revolution of 1910
For most of Mexico's developing history, a small minority of the people were in control of most of the country's power and wealth, while the majority of the population worked in poverty.
As the rift between the poor and rich grew under the leadership of General Díaz, the political voice of the lower classes was also declining.

10. Historical Context Cont…
It was during this time that the country broke into many different factions, and guerilla units roamed across the country destroying and burning down many large haciendas and ranches.
Overall, this was a time of political unrest in Mexico, which left the everyday citizens in constant fear of looting and violence by soldiers/militia.
Mexican revolution: began in 1910…culminated in the Mexican Constitution in 1917

11. Author’s Purpose
She explores the ideas of revolution and liberty, both literally with the war, and figuratively with Tita’s struggles within herself.
Esquivel uses the revolution to offer a political/social critique through themes like masculinity and gender identity.

12. Like Water For Chocolate Themes
Duty and Responsibility, Obedience
Tears as a form of life
Cruelty and violence
Victim/victimization
Sex/ GenDer Norms & roles
Machismo v. Women’s suffrage
Masculine superiority is culturally accepted
Love and passion
Sanity v. Supernatural
Modernism v. Tradition
Food As Creative Expression
Emotional-Oppression
…………

13. While You Read...Annotate with Sticky Notes!
1. VOCAB: unfamiliar words OR words that offer multiple meaning-YELLOW
2. MAGICAL REALISM: HOW/WHY is it used?-PURPLE
3. HISTORICAL CONTEXT: When does the text explain or refer to time and place? (i.e.: Mexican Revolution)-RED
4. THEMES: FIGURATIVE LANG/SYMBOLISM? -BLUE
How is food used symbolically? Why?