Now reading the book of Esquivel, Como Agua Para Chocolate, gives great insight as to why the movie was made; to show the passion of Tita and her lover, Pedro. Tradition still is the basis to the book and the movie. The book uses food recipes that have been in a family for many decades to tell a forbidden love story. However, the main purpose is the realization of the young women and breaks the tradition that is limiting their lives.
The story starts with a single mother with 3 girls that were of marrying age. The option of love for the youngest girl, Tita, was not one. The Mother had decided that Tita would live to serve her until she dies. Pedro was in love with Tita, but had to marry her older sister. The two lovers could not enjoy their love in the eyes of society. The mother had a lot of influence over her daughters. Doña Elena had already decided the lives to be lived by her daughters. Except that, Tita had other plans in her mind for herself.
The book loads itself in a traditional history of Mexico. Knowing and hearing the typical life of the old revolutionary times for Mexican women can be boring. Yet realizing how far along in society women have come can be an awakening to most. In a sense, the ‘American’ women might have been more outspoken sooner than Mexican women might have been in the past. ‘A way to get to a man’s heart is through his stomach’, Tita certainly proved this old saying to be true. The story told in this movie, desires to illustrate that step of independence for Mexican women.
-RA
Tags: book, love, passionm cooking
