Political Allegory and Character Archetypes

in Like Water for Chocolate

Damian Quintana

E.L.A.
Mr.Cook
22 September 2014











Allegory is used to give characters and objects meaning to create an overall moral.
Laura Esquivel, author of Like Water for Chocolate, adds a deeper meaning and causes the
reader to think about how it affects each character to the narrative by using allegory. Like Water
for Chocolate is a political allegory that uses characters to represent rebellion, selfish
conformity, and peacemaking.
The political allegory of rebellion is represented through the character Tita. Tita showed
the act of rebellion when she tells Mama Elena, Heres what I do with your orders! Im sick of of
them! Im sick of obeying you (99)! By telling Mama Elena that she is through with obeying her,
Tita is rebelling from Mama Elenas control over the children. The event, Without answering,
Pedro went to her, extinguished the lamp, pulled her to a brass bed that had once belonged to
her sister Gertrudis, and throwing himself upon her, caused her to lose her virginity and learn of
true love (158). The event explains that Tita and Pedro made love and by Tita making love she
rebelled from Mama Elena.
Esquivel also shows a political allegory of selfish conformity through Mama Elena. Mama
Elena demonstrated selfish conformity when she says that Tita will never be married. Mama
Elena says, If he intends to ask for your hand, tell him not to bother. Hell be wasting his time
and mine too. You know perfectly well that being the youngest daughter means you have to
take care of me until the day I die (10). Mama Elena is demonstrating selfish conformity
because she wants to control how Titas life will be and keep everything traditional. When Dr.
John Brown told Mama Elena that someday he will ask her for Titas hand in marriage, Mama
Elena says, You know that she cant marry (132). Mama Elena is showing that even when she
is sick and dying, she still demonstrates selfish conformity.
Throughout the story, the political allegory peacemaking is displayed through the
character Chencha. The author states, She knew from experience that if Chencha stayed in the
ranch near her mother, she would never be saved. Only distance would allow her to heal (134).
Chencha is displaying the political allegory peacemaking because after being raped, Chencha is
trying to forget about the problem and create distance from it, instead of approaching the
problem with violence. The story says, As usual Chencha had dropped from the sky just when
Tita needed her most (151). In the novel, Chencha exhibits the political allegory peacemaking
by helping Tita when she needs her. Chencha is creating peace for Tita so she does not grow
frustrated.
Esquivels use of political allegory adds to the narrative because the allegory creates
connections to political conflicts, which causes the reader to think in a complex matter. The
rhetorical device of allegory is used to give characters and objects a meaning to create a moral.
This effect is clear in Like Water for Chocolate because Esquivel gives meaning to each
character. It creates the moral lesson in the novel, the more someone controls and rules over
another, the more power the person loses over time.