Like Water for Chocolate

Tita prepares a dish called champandongo, and the onions make her cry. The cooks reserve the dish for special occasions: This night, Dr. John Brown will propose marriage. Tita is so distracted she cuts her finger with a knife. It turns out, Mama Elena’s death sent Rosaura into early labor. The baby, a daughter, was born three months early and Rosaura cannot nurse due to labor complications yet again. Rosaura required surgery to remove her damaged uterus and will not be able to bear more children. Pedro and Rosaura wanted to name the baby Josefita after Tita (as Josefita is her birth name), but Tita does not want her cursed with her name; they choose Esperanza instead. Tita does not nurse Esperanza like she did Roberto, instead feeding her gruel and tea like Nacha did for her. Rosaura is jealous of all the time Esperanza spends with Tita in the kitchen and demands her sister bring the baby to her bed after her meals. When the baby cries, she is only soothed by the sound of Tita cooking, so Tita takes her cooking pot into Rosaura’s room. On the way back to the kitchen, Tita spills the pot, ruining several hours of work. Pedro intercepts Tita and begs her not to marry John. She scolds him for not being brave enough to withstand Mama Elena’s demands. Pedro stomps around the ranch; everyone thinks he is angry over Rosaura’s barrenness.

A few days before, John and his son Alex visited Esperanza and Alex declared he would marry her. Rosaura said she would not marry, as she is her only daughter and must care for her mother in age. Tita is devastated that Rosaura has chosen to continue Mama Elena’s tradition. Her anger seeps into her cooking, making the bread rise too quickly and spill out of the bowl. She feels she is always on the verge of boiling over like a hot pot. Chencha returns with her new husband Jesús Martinez; they want to return to the ranch to work. Tita is happy to see her friend again; she charges Chencha with cooking while she bathes and dresses for John’s arrival. The cool shower relaxes Tita, but soon, the water turns hot. She notices Pedro watching her through the wooden slats and quickly runs and dresses. Tita is frantic over table setting, careful to adhere to etiquette rules. She overhears John and Pedro arguing about politics. Pedro, as the head of the household, must give consent for Tita to marry. He finally agrees, and the men plan the wedding without including Tita in the conversation. John presents Tita with a diamond ring. Everyone toasts with champagne, and Pedro’s glass shatters. Tita is anxious to marry John and leave the ranch as quickly as possible to get away from Pedro.

Tita helps Chencha make a bed for her and her husband Jesús. She returns to clean the kitchen. When she goes to Mama Elena’s bathing room, now used for storage, Pedro slips in. He locks the door, grabs Tita, shoves her to the bed, and takes her virginity. The others in the house see lights emanating from the room and think the ghost of Mama Elena has come to visit.

Tita prepares chocolate for a Three Kings’ Day bread for a party. She is distracted by the possibility of being pregnant with Pedro’s baby. She worries how she will explain the pregnancy to Dr. John Brown, fearing he will no longer want to marry her. Making chocolate reminds her of Christmas. Nacha would save money to buy Tita gifts that Mama Elena refused to purchase. One year, she purchased a movie projector, providing the sisters with many happy days. Tita desperately misses Nacha and her delicious food; she mourns the loss of joyful days with her sisters. She has not heard from Gertrudis since she sent her clothes. Once Tita finishes making the chocolate, she starts making yeasted dough for the bread.

Since giving birth to Esperanza, Rosaura has developed health problems. She is overweight and suffers from bad breath and flatulence. Rosaura and Pedro sleep in separate bedrooms and she tells Tita that ever since Mama Elena’s ghost visited the house, Pedro has refused to have sex with her. John has prescribed a special diet to help, but Rosaura begs Tita for a remedy. Feeling guilty for her and Pedro’s sexual encounter, she tells her to gargle with salt, camphor, and vinegar. However, Tita is still angry with Rosaura for cursing Esperanza with the family tradition. A chilly wind blows through the kitchen, and the ghost of Mama Elena appears, warning Tita to end her affair with Pedro. The ghost curses Tita and her unborn child but disappears as Chencha enters the kitchen. Tita is too disturbed to finish the dough, so Chencha takes over for her; still, Tita places the obligatory hidden doll in the dough. According to tradition, whoever finds the doll will have good luck. Tita feels she has not been lucky. She makes a wish on the doll that she could be free from guilt and shame, and that Esperanza could be free from the family tradition. She also wishes to see Gertrudis again.

Pedro helps Tita carry the bread to the table, and she asks to speak to him privately. He says he has been hoping to meet her in the storage room again. Tita sees the ghost of Mama Elena glaring at her from across the room and feels faint. Paquita Lobo, a neighbor whose family came to visit, interprets this as a sign of pregnancy; Tita denies being pregnant. The sound of hooves interrupts the awkward conversation. Gertrudis, now a rebel general, has returned with her husband Juan Alejandrez. Tita makes Gertrudis hot chocolate, and the latter prays that the family recipes will be preserved in the former. Gertrudis and Juan’s soldiers join the family to enjoy bread and chocolate. Juan plays music, and Gertrudis dances joyfully. Tita is thankful for her sister’s return and hopes the older can help her with her inner conflict. One year later, Gertrudis gives birth to a baby with dark skin. Tita reveals Gertrudis’s parentage, so Juan does not think she was unfaithful.