Key themes in ‘Como Agua para Chocolate’

I am currently studying Como Agua para Chocolate for my Spanish A-level culture topic. This is a fascinating book, not only enjoyable to read, but it also has many deep meanings relating to the Mexican revolution.

This book was written by Laura Esquivel and published in 1989. The main plot line is that Tita falls in love with Pedro but she is unable to marry him due to a family tradition that the youngest daughter must stay with and care for their mother until the mother dies. 

‘Como Agua para Chocolate’ means like water for chocolate in English, which is nonsense on first appearance. Literally it is derived from when Mexicans used boiling water instead of milk to make hot chocolate. However, it is a common idiom in Mexico meaning that someone is very angry or irritated. An alternative interpretation that it shows passion as the water must sufficiently hot to receive the chocolate. Therefore this could be a hint towards the relationship between Tita and Pedro throughout the book, showing how she desires such intimacy. This is not the only theme in the book however; I will present some others that I have noticed. 

Mexican Revolution

The story is set in the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution, which took place between 1910 and 1917. Porfirio Díaz, was the Mexican president at this time and although he brought economic stability his regime was unpopular as it was like a dictatorship, so he was overthrown in 1911. His ways caused a strong divide in the country which caused a civil war. The revolt against Diaz was led by Francisco I. Madero, who had very strong morals and believed in social justice democracy. He gained the title of president at the fall of Diaz. Madero’s supporters were angry that he did not impose the social reforms that he had agreed on. There were many revolts against Madero, including Orozco's Rebellion. Madero was assassinated in 1913 along with his vice-president, following the ‘ten tragic days’. Their deaths led to international uproar which ended in the fall of the Huerta Dictatorship, the triumph of the Mexican Revolution and the establishment of the 1917 Constitution of Mexico under President Venustiano Carranza.

The story of Como Agua para Chocolate seems to mimic the Mexican Revolution through Tita’s self-growth. At the beginning of the novel, the only way she could console herself was with food, but by the end she was able to confront her mother, showing how the country was not a dictatorship anymore. 

Feminism

Esquivel used the revolution as a way to explore gender identity as women and men began to be equals. I feel that feminism is one of the key themes in the book because there are very few male protagonists. Tita’s father died of a heart attack when she was only a few days old, so her mother was in charge of the ranch which was unheard of. 

Magical realism

Food is a major part of the book as at the beginning of each chapter is a new recipe. Also, since Tita grew up in the kitchen, she found cooking was a way to escape her life. The food she cooked however incorporated the feelings that she had at the time. For example, when Pedro married another girl, Tita had to prepare the wedding cake. When she was making the cake ‘permanecieron llorando hasta que a Tita no le quedaron más lágrimas en los ojos’ (they continued continued crying until Tita had no more tears in her eyes). The magical realism comes in when at the wedding, everyone that ate the cake, began to cry.

To conclude, this is a very complicated book exposing many key areas of Mexican life. If you do not speak Spanish, there are many translated versions available and the film (1992) is available with English subtitles.