Summary Of Como Agua Para Chocolate

Laurina Ramkaran
Spanish assignment
“A woman is as independent or subordinate as she wants. The decision is hers. Discuss” To a woman, independence may not only mean having the ability to provide for her needs via economic independence, but independence can also mean being able to live life as she pleases regardless of the negative opinions that may be subjected to her by society. In this sense, there are some women who are independent while there are those who are subordinate- the ones who live their lives always taking into consideration the opinions, or rather, the social constructions of the society they live in. The question arises, is being independent or subordinate the decision of the woman, where the woman can be as independent or as subordinate as she chooses? In Como Agua Para Chocolate, this seems to be the case.
Tita is one such character who chose to live her life as she sees pleasing regardless of the restraints such as tradition and society.
“!Me creo lo que soy! Una persona que tiene todo el derecho vivir la vida como major me plaza.” This quote clearly demonstrates this. Although for most of the earlier parts of her life, Tita conformed, in the end-but only after Mama Elena’s death- she was able to take full control over her life. Gertrudis is another character who chose the path of independence. After running away with Juan, she never thought to return to the ranch in order to seek forgiveness and return to her old way of life. She chose instead to be with Jan and the revolutionaries and would occasionally visit Tita. “Ojala que esta nina tuviera la fuerza que habia tenido Gertrudis para huir de la casa.” Where Tita is exclaiming that she wished her niece, Esperanza, had the strength to run away like Gertrudis for she knew Esperanza’s faith was not going to be any different from hers with traditional Rosaura as her
mother. Rosaura chose to live her life, for the most part, based on tradition and what society deemed important for women and hence as a subordinate. This is especially seen in the way she treated her daughter Esperanza. Not wanting her to attend school but instead to study music and dance and not wanting Esperanza to marry but take care of her until she dies. An unfair tradition Mama Elena also lived by. “Rosaura no tenia character, le importava mucho aparenter en la sociedad.” This is where Tita remarks on Rosaura’s lack of character. Another such woman is Mama Elena. She was once very much in love and even tried to run away with the man she loved. She tried to gain her independence, but it was taken away from her parents for the sake of following society’s unwritten rules. In a sense then, the decision was not really her’s but rather, her parents’. However, just like Rosaura, she chose to live her life based on tradition- seen in the way she raised her children. “Nunca pro generaciones, nadie en mi familia ha protestado ante este costumbre.” This is where she argues that Tita must also liver her life in accordance with this tradition. In conclusion, we have seen women who chose to be either independent and take control over their lives and women who chose to be subordinate and live their lives based on tradition and social constructions. In all cases, we see that the decision was theirs whether or not it was taken later rather than sooner.