Throughout the novel Like Water for Chocolate, by Laura Esquivel, Tita, the struggling protagonist, wages an emotional battle with her- even. Since the story takes place in early 20th century Mexico, the concepts of unquestioned family obligations and matriarchal rule were socially accepted values. For one girl in particular, disagreeing with her mother's word was considered scandalous. Therefore, on the one hand, Tita feels tied to the traditionally accepted role of the youngest daughter of remaining single to care for her mother, while on the other, she feels a reciprocal passion for her older sister's husband ,Pedro. This important theme of filial duty versus sexual desire is emphasized throughout the nighttime meeting scene in Chapter 5, making this passage a pivotal moment in the novel. Additionally, the passage is representative of Tita, Pedro, and Mama Elena's animalistic tendencies. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"?Get the original essayFirst, the setting and mood created by Esquivel lays the foundation for the passage, creating a mood of moral tension and of forbidden desire. As the night envelops everything in darkness, Tita finds that her vision is literally and figuratively impaired, creating confusion and tension. Added to this is the closeness of Pedro and Mama Elena. While the proximity of the first increases Tita's sexual awareness, the presence of the second has the function of silencing these feelings. The soundscape created by Esquivel complements the tension, as the “violent beating” (line 17) of Pedro’s heart mixes with the gentle sound of Tita’s footsteps. An aura of suspense ensues, in which neither character knows whether to risk kissing the other in the middle of the night, while Rosaura and Mama Elena sleep only a few steps away. The mood remains static for most of the passage, reaching the height of tension at Tita and Pedro's most intimate moment when Mama Elena wakes up and asks who is up. In this anti-climatic moment, the mood shifts quickly and rather comically - given Tita's dual physical and emotional urge to urinate and her desire for Pedro - to turn into a desire repressed and a feigned normality, because neither Tita nor Pedro want that. at the risk of being discovered by Mama Elena. The structure and stylistic conventions used by Esquivel also serve to reflect the importance of this passage as a turning point. The dual narrative, in which the third-person point of view constantly alternates between Pedro and Tita, gives a feeling of anxiety in passing. This alternation, combined with the continued use of indefinite articles and lively, sensual diction, emphasizes Tita's importance to Pedro. Additionally, it reinforces the novel's recurring themes, such as food and its sexual symbolism, through "the smell of jasmine and cooking" (line 15), given off by Tita, which delights Pedro. This theme is further evoked when Pedro "eats a slice of watermelon and thinks of Tita" (line 10) in the sense that when the instances of food and love are combined, the conceit of food as an erotic symbol becomes obvious. Additionally, the antithetical theme of filial obligations versus raw love is conveyed through the use of adjectives such as "timidly" (line 24) and "fearful" (line 26), indicating the emotional confusion Tita feels , as she is caught between loving Pedro, and remaining obedient to her mother. When Tita and Pedro finally meet in the dark, the auditory and olfactory senses, which are already animal senses, give way to thetactile because Tita is surprised to “feel someone pulling her” (line 20). towards them. Esquivel writes that the night is so dark that not even a "glimmer of light" remains (line 7), signifying a lack of vision, which then serves to heighten their alternate senses, giving a more attentive and animalistic aura to both characters. Powerful and evocative sexual imagery is then applied as Pedro and Tita explore each other, with Tita “timidly touching” (line 24) Pedro, while he “invites her to explore his body” (line 24). This moment when erotic tactile images are used constitutes their highest example of connection. The literary devices of the scene help to depict the paradoxical attraction and affliction of Tita and Pedro. Pedro's line of thought illustrates the characters' conflicting feelings: for he "couldn't sleep thinking of her there, just a few feet away from him...and of Mama Elena too, of course" (line 12). The use of ellipses here suggests better than words the ever-persistent presence of Mama Elena, whether real or unconscious. Every time Pedro lets his thoughts wander, he somehow manages to meet Mama Elena. Later, when he realizes that this is an opportune, but inconvenient, time to meet Tita, he approaches her "quietly as a cat" (line 16). The simile reinforces Pedro's animalistic personality, as he moves towards Tita, his desired mate, which corresponds to their finding their way to each other using hearing and smell. Elena then lets out a “scream” (line 26) out of the night, in this case a warning howl, another example of animalistic tendencies in the passage. This also applies to the obstacles they encounter. No matter how close they get to each other, the dominant female of the family troupe, Mama Elena, always manages to divide the two and impose her pecking order in the house, thus reiterating the contradictory themes of the nature against society and characterizing the relationship of two lovers throughout the novel. The passage also acts as a pivotal moment in character and plot development as it is the first time Tita and Pedro physically kiss, despite Rosaura and Mama Elena's close proximity. This is when, even though Mama Elena has no concrete proof of their infidelity, she bases her assessment of the situation entirely on instinct, another animal trait. Significantly, she realizes that as long as Tita and Pedro are close to each other, it will be futile to try to separate them. Thus, she accelerates the departure of Rosaura and Pedro for Texas, seeing it as the only way to maintain traditional and socially acceptable behavior in her home. It is also the only scene in which Tita and Pedro are able to kiss, without guilt and without any other concern than the other, except at the end and resolution of the novel. It is a moment when their love is pure and complete, although strained, and where they can, briefly, express themselves fully. This contrasts with Pedro's return later to find Tita bitter over his departure and in the arms of Dr. Brown. The meeting acts as a confirmation of mutual love, through which Tita and Pedro authenticate their feelings for each other. This is more significant than it seems at first because, earlier, Tita was unsure of Pedro's motives for marrying his sister and his indecision on how to act towards her. Furthermore, the conflict between filial commitment and erotic/romantic love is embodied in this scene. Tita and Pedro find themselves attracted to each other while being separated. Even when they overcome their fears about social conformity and oppression1993