Just what is it about "water for chocolate?"

Like a Simile

Eventually, in your reading of this month's book, Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, you'll encounter the title in the text, and when you do, pay attention! This simile and the way it's used in the novel provide a clue to some of the major themes of the book (not to mention the tone).

And speaking of tone...

What do you make of all of this cooking instruction interspersed with the action of the story? What is the overall effect of all of the recipes, and why did Esquivel bother to include them?

Those are just a few of the questions we'll be discussing when we meet on February 5th. In the meantime, as you prep for the discussion, I invite you to contemplate the questions below.

Please come with a thoughtful, well considered answer to at least one of the following:

1. When and where is the novel set, and why does this setting seem important to the events of the novel?
2. What do you think of the tradition that prevents Tita from marrying? Does it make sense at all? Why or why not? Find an example from another culture of a practice that dictates a person's role or limits their possibilities in life and compare it to the De la Garza family tradition.
3. Which De la Garza sister is the strongest, and why? 
4. Consider the men of the novel. Which of them are honorable, and which of them are not? Explain.
5. Sex and sensuality play a large role in the novel, but to what end? Do they add to the narrative, distract from it, or completely take it over? Is Esquivel trying to send a message? If so, what? 

Reminder: Our starting time is shifting ever so slightly from 10:30 to 10:45am (which means our ending time is shifting by 15 minutes as well, to 12:15pm). 

Until then, happy reading!