Reader Response to Like Water for Chocolate

The book Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquirel is what would happen if Cinderella met Romeo. Tita reflects aspects of Cinderella in her relationship with her mother and sister, Rosaura; with Nacha in a fairy godmother kind of way and with John as prince charming. Now if I had to compare Pedro to any other literary character it would be Romeo because of his actions. Pedro, like Romeo, declares his love for Tita without having ever really spoken to her and the decision to marry Tita's sister, probably takes the cake as far as bad choices go,, which I can only parallel with Romeo killing Tybalt. Then there's the ending where the two star crossed lovers die, except Tita is the only one that commits suicide in this book.

I do find her perspective on Americans both true and false. Esquirel says we have to boil up, fizzle down, boil up, fizzle down....and basically rinse and repeat. However, you can't boil over, in order to live a good, fulfilling life. This concept of passion as being a vital part of life, according to Esquirel, isn't found in American culture. I'll admit I wanted Tita to marry and live happily ever after with John, not Pedro, as is apparently the typical American reaction. I have to disagree though that Americans are passionless. We're raised to believe in freedom, in working hard, in the American dream and in our country. There is passion to be fount in this, but I do agree that Americans tend to bottle things up. Overall, I still can't decide if I liked this book and I don't think I ever will, all I know is that it was definitely interesting.