Feminism In Laura Esquivel's Like Water For Chocolate

Feminism is regarded through various perspectives and while some view it as the idea that women and men deserve the same amount of respect, others regard feminism as a notion that women deserve to be superior to men. In Laura Esquivel's Like Water For Chocolate, set mainly in the De La Garza kitchen during a Mexican revolution, stereotypical roles and standards that society has imposed onto women, such as the preparation of food, are used to transcend social barriers of gender norms. As the story takes place during a time when women were still fighting to achieve gender equality, Esquivel contradicts the setting by presenting strong female figures, leading the reader to question previously held preconceptions about the capabilities of women. The text proves that female gender stereotypes aren't always representative of passive femininity but can also be used to subvert female social norms. This essay explores the limitations of gender conformities as well as the way in which they can be embraced to transcend female stereotypes.

Contrary to gender stereotype, stating that the kitchen is the ideal for a `proper` woman, the character's` presence in the kitchen does not represent passive submission as …show more content…
The book not only shows how these stereotypes can present various obstacles that hinder a woman’s ablity to achieve her goals, but also states how strong, independent women are capable of embracing their traditions in order to break these oppressive standards. While most feminist literature would view the kitchen as a space that oppresses women, this book turns the traditional Mexican view of women onto its head, demonstrating how women a stereotypical female duty, such as food preparation, can be used to subvert female