The Roles of Domineering Heads of Households in The House of the Spirits and Like Water for Chocolate

A detailed Summary of The Roles of Domineering Heads of Households in The House of the Spirits and Like Water for Chocolate

They are both domineering. They are both oppressive. They are both despotic. Esteban Trueba, in Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits, and Mama Elena, in Laura Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate, are two very similar authoritarian characters in their nature and function in much the same manner. Allende's patriarch and Esquivel's matriarch assist in the development of other characters through their interactions with these characters and the response each character has to living in that autocrat's household.

Allende and Esquivel first differ in their treatment of rebellion against the authoritarian heads of the families. In The House of the Spirits, Blanca rebels while still living in her father's household. She ignores her father's demands and does as she pleases behind his back. Blanca is thus developed in her reaction to the rule of her father; she acts against his will and stays around to suffer the consequences. She is strong and stubborn, unwilling to allow a situation to worry her. Gertrudis, in Like Water for Chocolate, runs away from home rather than rebel in Mama Elena's house and face her wrath and to obtain sexual freedom. She runs from the adversity and does not ever get to face her mother for she di

Though he does not allow anyone to come too close to loving him through his life, Esteban Trueba eventually becomes very close to his granddaughter; Mama Elena never allows anyone to become close to her and even after her death continues to alienate her family. Alba and her grandfather become very close after the rebellion and he clings to her as all he has left. Esteban changes from his completely obstinate and temperamental character to being very needed and open. Esteban, who had previously shied away from opportunities to open his emotions, bears his soul to Transito Soto and his granddaughter, Alba. After pushing away the previous two generations of women in the family, Clara and Blanca, Esteban suddenly realizes he has no one left; even his political friends have abandoned him. Esteba changes to a needy man with an open soul from his former obstinacy. Mama Elena never shows in her life very much emotion toward anyone. She is not dynamic and even after her death continues to be cruel and overbearing. She haunts Tita after she dies until Tita confesses her hatred once and for all. Even then they are not rid of her; she does not leave until she has attacked Pedro and catches him on fire. Mama Elena's cruelty never subsides and she is a completely static character.

The dominance and attitudes of the two despots in these novels assist in the character development of their own characters as well as that of the other characters. How the characters react to their parent's or spouse's attitude and anger reveals their character and their inner strength. Esteban assists in the development of his family to

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Approximate Word count = 1096
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English