Like Water For Chocolate Language Analysis

The actions people take are often thought so thoroughly that a meaning is hidden in everything we do. For example, certain individuals use flowers as a way to subtly demonstrate their feelings and intentions. In Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquivel’s protagonist, Tita, tries to become free from society's ideals and at the same time choose between her two lovers, Pedro and John. Esquivel makes her characters use food and flowers to express their feelings. Furthermore, Esquivel juxtaposes diction, tone and vivid imagery in order to evidence Tita´s stronger emotions for Pedro and not for John.

Pedro and John are the two main contestants for Tita’s heart. When Tita is given the post of official cook Pedro congratulates her by giving her “a bouquet of roses”(48). Esquivel specifies the type of flowers that Pedro brought “roses” and this use of diction gives more meaning to the action because roses signify love and passion. Furthermore, Tita comments that “They were beautiful” and the use of diction portrays Tita’s feeling of love and admiration to not only the flowers, but also Pedro himself (48). On the other hand, when John returns from his trips, “...Tita was

In chapter 3 when Pedro gifts Tita the roses “Tita clasped the the roses to her tightly”(48). Which shows the ardent tone Esquivel wants to express. The passionate tone Esquivel uses in this scene proves that Tita favors Pedro more than John. Unlike Pedro, when Tita sees John she is surprised at seeing John’s car, she mentions “she didn’t know what she was going to do or what she was going to tell him”(203). Through this the reader understands that she is more contemplative over what she is going to tell John and not excited over the bouquet of flowers he brought her. In all, the tone helps contrast Tita’s feelings between John and Pedro and helps prove Tita stronger emotions toward