Direct Characterization Mama Elena Character Analysis

Being the eldest child of three, Gertrudis was foreshadowed to be rebellious towards her family traditions. After many years of being oppressed by Mama Elena’s traditions, Gertrudis’ first lust for progress became evident when she had a reaction to her sister Tita's quail in a “magic” rose petal sauce. This reaction causes her to have “such strong emotions in her that she runs off with a solider in the revolutionary army and thus away from her mother’s oppression”. (Napierkowski 193). Gertrudis never has the desire to come back home until the passing of her mother. Esquivel heavily explains, “surely the heat from her body, which was inflamed by love, would travel with that gaze across an infinite distance, with no loss of energy…” Meaning, Gertrudis does not want to continue to have
“She had come back with the intention of showing Mama Elena how she had triumphed in life” (Esquivel 178). She wants to show her family that they could now follow their dreams and leave Mama Elena’s dreams behind. Not only is Gertrudis rebellious by being successful, but also she is able to show her sisters what women can accomplish without being forced to follow strict customs. “Gertrudis bucks the limits of femininity; as La General, she is able to exert a power unavailable to women in the domestic realm”. (Phillips 1). Having involvement in the revolution, she quickly rejects any stereotype her family has made for her, due to her being a woman. Gertrudis’ rebellious quality is surprising inherited from her mother. This was discovered later in the novel, which was explained when finding out of her mother’s affair, which resulted in her birth. “When she found out she was pregnant, Mama Elena had planned to run away with José.”. (Esquivel 137). As Mama Elena “broke tradition”, she became rebellious and left her home, similar to