Like Water for Chocolate

Tita, the youngest daughter of Elena, in Like Water for Chocolate, struggles to find her independence. Her mother, a very harsh and strict woman, enforces that she will never marry but take care of her until death. I think this was a very selfish demand. Did Elena just make this up or was this the custom? I think she did not want to be alone after becoming a widow but more so to torture Tita. Tita found true love at an early age and is not able to pursue it. She is forbidden at times to see or speak to Pedro but has to endure the pain of watching her sister, Rosaura, marry Pedro. Mother Elena arranges for Rosaura, the oldest daughter, to marry Pedro knowing full well it would hurt Tita. Elena, it seems uses this as a form of punishment. Throughout the movie we follow Tita with her struggle to have a relationship with Pedro. Every night Tita would cry and knit a quilt. The quilt was very long, signifying the many nights she spent yearning for him. Tita uses the quilt to place over their bodies even at the time of death.

Magical realism is used when Tita places her emotions in the food she prepares. Tita learns at a young age to cook from her grandmother, and takes over the head cook at the ranch after her grandmother’s death. Tita uses her rebellion against her mother and places her feelings in the food she prepares. Many of the emotions are acted out by the characters in the movie, as if a spell has been cast on them. Elena accused Tita of making people sick, like in the scene when everyone cried after eating the cake because Tita let a tear drop fall in the cake. I tried to observe if these emotions ever affected Pedro. Sometimes I don’t think they did because he felt the same way Tita did, so he did not get sick. The feelings between the two were shared even at the dinner table while others acted out the emotions.

Motorcycle Diaries

Ernesto and Alberto set out on a Latin American journey, on a motorcycle, “the Mighty One”. Ernesto was always friendly, honest, and willing to help others. One of the scenes that help shape him as a leader is when he met the “mining” couple. The further Ernesto and Alberto went into the hills of Chile and Peru, the more Ernesto was devastated by the way the indigenous people lived and was treated. Most were poor and had lost their jobs (fired by the rich) and were looking for work. The mining company hand-selected the men they wanted and left the woman and the other men to fend for themselves. They were sent away starving and thirsty. This outraged Ernesto. The other example that “changed him” was the night they celebrated his birthday. He gave a speech and thanked the people, the doctors, nurses, nuns, and workers at the colony. Ernesto just wanted to be with the common people though and risked his life swimming across the river to be with the poor, sick people with leprosy. Ernesto wanted to help the impoverished. He realizes this journey changes him, no longer wanting to be a physician. He realizes he would have never met these people if it weren’t for the circumstances that allowed this to happen.

The main difference on celebrating traditions between the US and the Spanish speaking world is the Spanish always seem to include dancing as part of the festivities. Dancing occurred when Ernesto was leaving on his trip at his girlfriend’s. On their journey, the small town social was a dance where Ernesto and Alberto went. At his birthday celebration in Peru, there was dancing and with dancing there was always girls who wanted to dance. Ernesto however was not really interested in dancing nor did he dance well. He was more characteristic of some Americans.

El Mariachi

El Mariachi

Sandra Clark

            A mariachi is a singer/performer. For this particular man in the movie, a mariachi is all he wanted to do. It was his goal or mission in his life. His father and grandfather preceded him in the singing business. It was a family tradition that he wanted to carry on, almost as if he believed he could not do anything else in life. He states “All I want to be is a Mariachi”.

             The movie was filled with Mexican stereotypes and bandido- violence. The leaders of the violent groups were portrayed as “macho” men with other men working for them to do the “dirty work”. Women catered to these leaders and their needs. From the opening scene to the conclusion, violence became the center of the movie with the mariachi fighting to save his life. The mariachi dressed in black and carried his guitar case was mistaken for Azul who also wore black and carried his weapons in his guitar case. Azul broke out of prison when being pursued by the drug lord Moco. Due to his mistaken identity, the mariachi had to defend himself by eventually killing and becoming part of this violence. The mariachi “fell in love” with a woman, Domino who was a girlfriend of Moco. As the Mariachi races to try to save Domino, he comes face to face with Moco, who has now become jealous of the mariachi. Upon finding Domino dead, Moco plans to put an end to the mariachi’s career by shooting him in the hand. After killing Moco, the mariachi leaves this unlucky town, riding off, cradling his hand which had been shot.

            The music gave importance and meaning to the scenes. The music was dark, with building of intensity when the violent scenes occurred. The music was soft and meaningful when the mariachi was portrayed. A mariachi is a singer. He gets to show his talents as Domino gives him a job at the bar she owns. His love ballad he performs leaves the listening audience loving his sound. The “bad” characters had stereotypically gruff, strong voices.

Machuca

                Gonzalo and Pedro become classmates in an all-boys school. Gonzalo is from a rich family. He lives in a nice home, has his own room and a lot of clothes compared to Pedro. Pedro’s family lives in a shantytown village with an outhouse. Similarly, both of these boys are seeking friendship as they are ignored or picked on by others. They are both bullied by the other boys at school and eventually they start taking up for one another and this brings them together. The boys start spending days after school together. Gonzalo goes over to Pedro’s house. He observes the parents working, including Pedro’s mother. Gonzalo is disgusted by the use of the outhouse. Pedro gets to sleep over at Gonzalo’s house. He is amazed at the amount of clothing he has and his Adidas shoes. The boys are experiencing the joys of being kids together as they consume alcohol and learn how to kiss a girl. The friendship continues to grow but is interrupted by reminders of the difference in social class, which is reflected throughout the movie. Gonzalo is referred to as “strawberry” or “blonde”; with his fair skin and hair. The abandoned girl, Silvana, refers to Gonzalo as the “snob”. Gonzalo is deeply disturbed when he sees his mother demonstrating at a protest in Chile. She is fighting for the military which Pedro and his family along with Gonzalo are protesting against. I believe the main message is that social class does divide people and in this case, destroys or eliminates the boys’ friendship.

            Father McEnroe is supportive of his leftist views allowing an integration of lower and upper class to come together at the school. He is always teaching the boys to respect one another. He is overpowered at the end of the movie and replaced when the military takes over. The Father eats all the wafers for communion, stating” God is no longer in this place”. Pedro, as well as other boys, is expelled from the school for not supporting the military. Raids break out in the slum communities were Pedro’s family lives. Gonzalo went to check on his friend, where he watched families being separated and some even killed, including Silvana. Gonzalo was almost taken captive but was freed when he said “look at me”. His fair skin and nice clothes saved him. Gonzalo used class to distinguish himself from his new friend and his family.

Under the Same Moon

                Carlitos, one of the main characters, is a 9 year old boy from Mexico. He is mature in his actions and thinking far beyond his age. He awakens each morning to take care of his sick grandmother. He is driven by his determination to be with his mother in the United States. His self- sacrificing words and actions teach the adults that he comes in contact with lessons that will remain with them for life.

            Carlitos mother left Mexico to build and find a better life; one that would support her and her son. It was inferred by others that she left him for selfish reasons such as to find love or that she did not love Carlitos. Other people tried to make Carlitos feel abandoned, but his optimistic personality always won.

            I do believe this was a difficult decision for the mother. She had told Carlitos to look at the moon when they are thinking of each other, hence implying the name of the movie Under the Same Moon. The mother’s first priority was to Carlitos. Even after losing a job one day; the next day she went looking for work. The more money she could save, the sooner she would be able to bring Carlitos with her. She spoke to him every Sunday on the phone and promised they would be together soon. The first Sunday on the telephone with Carlitos, she cried quietly and held back her emotions; showing her longing to be with her son. Each evening after their long days apart, they would lie in their beds and reflect on the moon, meanwhile thinking of one another.

            Carlitos faced many challenges trying to get to LA to be with his mother. He was on his own for days, depending on new acquaintances to help him.  Some of the people he met were good to him; however others led him into dangerous situations. His mother struggled to find a new job. She was intended to be married to a man for the privilege of him being a U.S. Citizen. She could not follow thru with this arrangement, holding out for true love.

             I don’t believe mothers in the U. S. could understand the sacrifice Carlitos mother made trying to bring him a better life. Mothers anywhere would do anything for their children, it is a strong bond, but some would not separate from their children.  She risked her life to be in the United States and thought it was better for him to be safe in Mexico, until the time was right to bring him with her. There was nothing selfish about her love for her son.