It would be ridiculous to argue that Mama Elena and Rosaura are positive members of a family, but their inadequacies are all the more reason for Tita to reject their rules and values. It is written in stone early in the novel that Tita is not to marry until the day that Mama Elena dies. Mama Elena takes the time to tell Tita that, "you have to take care of me until the day I die." (10) This is quite the threat, but the only thing that truly enforces the rule is Mama Elena's rage. There is no earthly reason from the start of the novel to the finish for Tita not to run away with Pedro and attempt to start a new life elsewhere. Tita's adherence to Mama Elena's rules on marriage only speaks for her emotional frailty. After a hospital st

The credo Tita lives by throughout Like Water for Chocolate is the same as on the acknowledgement page. "To the table or to bed, you must come when you are bid." Tita always comes when others bid for her, and this results in a dreary life in which Tita lives with the fear of Mama Elena's rage and Rosaura's blackmail. Tita's perceived conquering of her sister and mother is merely wishful thinking. Mama Elena has Tita right where she wants her for every second Mama Elena is alive, and the supposed compromise between the sisters is nothing more than Rosaura's coercion. If Tita really had control, if she was really the morally and emotionally stronger person that she should be, she would live by these words instead: "To the table, or to bed, you must only really come if you want to". Accepting someone else's rules only leads Tita to discomfort, and she will only truly live when she lives for herself.

does get told off while she is still breathing, but Tita's weakness results in a situation that still gives Rosaura rights over both Pedro and Esperanza. Tita should have taken control of the situation with her true love since the day she fell into it. Instead, she lets Rosaura marry his man, and attempts to live her life pretending that they are not in love. Even after Tita tells Rosaura the realities of the situation, she agrees to a deal that that means that she still cannot be with Pedro except with complete secrecy. Tita cannot take what she has a right to, namely Pedro

Some common words found in the essay are:
Water Chocolate, Mama Elena's, Mama Elena, Tita Pedro, Tita Tita, Esquivel Tita, Instead Rosaura, John Brown, Elena Rosaura, Elena Tita, mama elena, tita lives, table bed, water chocolate, mama elena's, tita lives throughout, tita finally, pedro esperanza, accepting rule, tita's weakness, elena tita, entirely tita's fault, mama elena tita, mama elena's rage, table bed bid,
Approximate Word count = 1003
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)