“To be a queen of a household is a powerful thing”, quoted by Jill Scott, which portrays the idea of being the head of a household as a woman. Like Water for Chocolate, written by Laura Esquirel, firmly emphasizes the power that the head of a household could have and use. In this novel, the unavailability of a father in the family led Mama Elena to take the role as a head of household. Mama Elena is a mother of three daughters who treats her youngest daughter overbearingly, due to the Mexican tradition. Although Mama Elena is biologically a woman, she has almost identical characteristics as men do. Usually, fathers have masculine characteristics as a head of household where they are tyrannical, fearless and give strong impact on their kids. Mama Elena perfectly plays the role of masculinity as a way of being despotic and a male figure. Throughout the novel, Mama Elena’s conspicuous masculine figure is clearly portrayed as she still gives masterful influence on Tita even after her death.
The author evidently shows Mama Elena’s tyrannical personality and absolute power over her daughters as Mama Elena follows the Mexican tradition where mother forces a youngest daughter to take care of her mother rest of her life.
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Bits of chicken flew in every direction along with the smell of burnt feathers.” (90) It is unusual for women to be adroit at using guns due to the fact that they tend to be weak in both physically and mentally. However, in this scene, Mama Elena’s intrepid and fierce personality breaks the stereotype of women.
Throughout the novel, Mama Elena’s existence plays a terrific impact on her daughters. Whether she is alive or dead, Tita fears Mama Elena’s presence due to her tyrannical personality. When Mama Elena is alive, she tends to use violence to Tita whenever she doesn’t feel comfortable about what Tita
In My Antonia, Willa Cather pens a nostalgic story focused on a two people with a unique connection. Jim Burden narrates the story of Antonia Shimerda, the girl next door who happens to be a Bohemian emigrant. Jim moves to his grandparents’ house after his parents die; Antonia arrives in the United States with her family and little else. The two are vastly different, but bond quickly on the Nebraska prairie. Most people who study the novel acknowledge the obvious impact that Antonia has on Jim and see Antonia as “in one way or another, the center of the novel” (Lucenti).
Laura Esquivel, author of Like Water for Chocolate, subverts many of her important characters' traditional gender roles, while other characters embrace them and continue the destructive cycle. In particular, Rosaura and Pedro alike accept their role through manipulation and fear from Mama Elena and her outdated traditions. Pedro is the romantic interest of Tita, sister of Rosaura, in the story. Traditionally the youngest daughter, Tita, is never allowed to marry and assume the caretaker role of their mother until death. Pedro wants more than anything to marry Tita, but he does not resist Mama Elena’s objection, and rather takes Titas sister's hand in marriage to remain closer to her.
Firstly ,Elena Vilkas. A selfless, hardworking, fearless mother who installed strength and determination to those around her who may not have survived without. Also known for her unselfishness which she exhibited in many situations of the novel. For example,when Elena gave up her bread ration to a starving boy who was already dead but had his hand outstretched as if he was asking for food. The incredible thing about it was that she herself was also very sick and that bit of food could’ve ended up being very critical between life or death.
Tita is the strongest of the female characters because she disobeyed her mother's rules, raised a child that isn't hers, and got revenge on Pedro for marrying her sister. Tita is a very strong female character throughout the novel and proves it in many ways. Mama Elena has family traditions and all of all her daughters, Tita
The Mirabal sisters were revolutionaries who opposed the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. During the revolution, they were given the code name “Las Mariposas”, or “the butterflies”. The term “mariposa” suits each sister in a different way. Patria, Dedé, Minerva, and Mate Mirabal each have their one reason to be compared to a butterfly. The nickname “mariposa” shows who the Mirabal sisters are; they transformed from domestic, innocent mothers and wives into brave, defiant martyrs for national freedom.
Formalist Plot You know what they say; you are what you eat! What kind of food you eat and prepare shows a little bit of who you are and in literature it can sometimes be used to convey meaning. In many ways the heart shaped cookies that one makes in february can represent their love for somebody in a way that words can’t. Sometimes we have to recognize that the smallest actions we make can tell a lot about our lives and our stories.
Lola takes advantage of her deteriorating mother whose illness represents the declining hold of the norms over Lola. Since her mom “will have trouble lifting her arms over her head for the rest of her life,” Lola is no longer afraid of the “hitting” and grabbing “by the throat” (415,419). As a child of a “Old World Dominican Mother” Lola must be surrounded by traditional values and beliefs that she does not want to claim, so “as soon as she became sick” Lola says, “I saw my chance and I’m not going to pretend or apologize; I saw my chance and I eventually took it” (416). When taking the opportunity to distinguish herself from the typical “Dominican daughter” or ‘Dominican slave,” she takes a cultural norm like long hair and decides to impulsively change it (416). Lola enjoyed the “feeling in [her] blood, the rattle” that she got when she told Karen to “cut my hair” (418).
The comparison of characters is something an author allows us to do while reading a story, by telling us about the characters’ looks, their personalities, their lifestyles, and also the traits that may describe a character. “Everyday Use” written by Alice Walker, two characters named Maggie and Dee had a few things in common and many differences from each other. The characters Maggie and Dee, also known as “Wanergo,” are sisters who compete on who inherits the family heirlooms. The story is told from the mother’s (Mama’s) point of view.
She is a mother based on the birth of her children, but she does not possess the nurturing qualities of a mother. However, she exemplifies a masculine role through ruling by fear and dominance and not
We couldn’t have gone on like we was today we was going backwards instead of forwards- talking ‘bout killing babies and wishing each other was dead… When it gets like that in life- you just got to do something different, push on out and do something bigger…” Mama is the one who keeps the family together by doing something different when times are tough. Mama influences the plot in a positive way and tells everyone how it is to make them understand why she does what she does and what’s going on in their family. Lena Younger in one of the most positively influential characters in the book.
Some traditions can be seen as a way of comfort and a way of bringing the family together, and in some circumstances it might ruin someone's life. In the novel, Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, it reveals family conflict about traditions, and how it can cause a person to become captive. Tita, the youngest daughter of Mama Elena, is unwillingly following a tradition that doesn’t allow her to marry and to serve her mother until she dies. Pedro is Tita’s lover and they wish to marry, but Mama Elena opposes it. Then Mama Elena introduces Tita’s older sister, Rosaura, who is free.
We all learned to respect and love our parents. Tita’s mother, Mama Elena, isn 't the motherly material everyone wants to have. She orders people around, discourage them, and always puts the family tradition first, but not in a good way. In the beginning, Tita tries to cope with Mama Elena and her orders. “I’m sorry Mami.
In the book My Antonia, the characters developed a lot throughout the story, but one character development that stood out to me was Antonia Shimerda. Antonia's character developed so much in this novel, she becomes a more independent character, but that's only because of the challenges she faced when she moved from Bohemia, her dad committed suicide, she had to work as a servant girl and when her fiancé left her. In the beginning of the novel, Antonia and her family are welcomed into Nebraska. They stay next to Jim Burden and his grandparents, they are the ones who welcomed them.
She controls all of the interactions of the family; everyone is dependent on her. When Walter starts skipping
Gabriella Montez’s primary stereotype is the “nerd.” The first time Gabriella is seen, she is reading a book. This is a common indication used throughout the film industry that leads viewers to make the assumption that the character in question is introverted and intelligent. When Gabriella transfers to a new school, it is made clear that she is in fact academically talented. She is referred to as a “freaky genius girl” and “an Einsteinette.”