Food as a Metaphor for Unexpressed Emotions in Like Water for Chocolate

Food as a Metaphor for Unexpressed Emotions in Like Water for Chocolate An oppressed soul finds means to escape through the preparation of victuals in the novel, Like Water for Chocolate (1992). Written by Laura Esquivel, the story is settle in revolutionary Mexico at the turn of the century. Tita, the young heroine, is living on her familys bed cover with her two older sisters, her overbearing produce, and Nacha, the family cook and Titas surrogate mother. At a very young age, Tita is instilled with a thick love for food for Tita, the joy of living was wrapped up in the delights of food (7). The sudden death of Titas father, left Titas mothers unable to nurse the infant Tita due to shock and grief. Therefore Nacha, who knows everything about cooking (6) offers to assume the debt instrument of feeding and caring for the young Tita. From that day on, Titas domain was the kitchen (7). Throughout the novel, food is employ as a constant metaphor for the intense feelings and emot ions Tita is compel to conceal. The story begins with Tita lustfully in love with Pedro Muzquiz and he with her. She would never get out the moment their hands accidentally touched as they both belatedly bent down to pick up the same tray (18). Their romance is unredeemed from the start, however, because of an old family tradition, stating that the youngest daughter must remain unmarried and care for the mother as long as either may live. Pedro, unaware of the tradition, comes to the ranch to ask Titas mother, Mama Elena, for Titas hand. Mama Elena tells Tita, If he intends to ask for your hand, tell him not to bother. Hell be wasting his time and mine, besides. You know perfectly fountainhead that being the youngest daughter means you have to take car... ... other, and make mad passionate love wherever they happened to end up (242). Unlike the first wedding, Tita too is infected with the powerful enchantment of the food. For the first time in their lives, Tita and Pedro mak e love freely (243). The novel ends with both Pedro and Tita, overcome with pleasure and emotion, expiry in each other arms. Metaphors are powerful tools often used by authors to communicate a deeper meaning. Metaphors also tend to make the member more thought provoking, and thus more interesting and intriguing. Laura Esquivel does a terrific job of using food as a metaphor for unsaid emotions in the novel Like Water for Chocolate. She takes the aching soul of a young girl and turns it into a cookbook of feelings and emotions cleverly disguised with food. plow Cited Esquivel, Laura. Like Water for Chocolate. Doubleday, 1992.