Like Water for Chocolate

Like Water for Chocolate &endash; Study Guide Qustions and Essay Assignment

Directions: Answer these multiple-choice questions as you read the novel. Bring your answers to class for discussion and clarification.
1. The magical ingredient that Tita put in Rosaura's wedding cake was
A) Chabela (B) eggs (C) tears (D) lime
2. After Rosaura's wedding Nacha
(A) danced until dawn with don Pasqual (B) went to sleep because she was exhausted
(C) died (D) none of the above.
3. The quail in rose petal sauce
(A) was too salty (B) gave Rosaura terrible gas
(C) caused everyone to become sexually excited (D) made Gertrudis want to become a nun.
4. Pedro's son Roberto was delivered by
(A) Dr. Brown (B) Nacha (C) Tita (D) Mama Elena.
5. The event that caused Tita to stand up to her mother was
(A) Rosaura marrying Pedro (B) Gertrudis's letter (C) Dr. John's proposal (D) Roberto's death.
6. Pedro married Rosaura
(A) to make Tita jealous (B) to be close to Tita
(C) to forget about Tital (D) because his father forced him to.
7. Tita sent clothes to Gertrudis because
(A) Tita knew she had not taken clothes with her (B) Tita couldn't get the idea of Gertrudis naked out of her head (C) Nicholas was going that way to round up some cattle (D) all of the above.

8. Mama Elena had an affair with (A) Dr. John Brown (B) Jose Treviño
(C) Pedro (D) Rick James

9. Mama Elena hit Tita
(A) across the buttocks with a razor strap (B) in the nose with a wooden spoon
(B) (C) with the old one-two (D) with a cookbook.

10. Pedro, Rosaura and Roberto moved to (A) San Francisco (B) San Angelo
(C) San Diego (D) San Antonio.

11. Roberto's death resulted from
(A) scarlet fever (B) something he ate
(C) being dropped on his head (D) Rosaura's flatulence.

12. Dr. Brown demonstrates to Tita
(A) how to make love (B) how to make matches
(C) the real way to make chicken soup (D) how to handle an intern.

13. Tita wrote, "Because I don't want to" on Dr. Brown's wall because
(A) she didn't want to talk (B) she secretly longed to be a tagger
(B) every night he tried to make love to her (D) none of the above.

14. Chencha firmly believes that any illness, whether physical or mental can be cured with
(A) love (B) aspirin (C) a laxative (D) ox tail soup.

15. Mama Elena dies
(A) from severe flatulence (B) from too much syrup of ipecac
(B) after Tita poisons her (D) in a car crash.

16. Mama Elena's ghost appears to Tita and
(A) accuses her of immoral behavior (B) apologizes for being so cruel to her
(B) asks for forgiveness (D) all of the above.

17. Gertrudis's favorite dessert is
(A) cream fritters (B) hot cross buns (C) almond aphrodisiac (D) ice cream sundae

18. Gertrudis became a leader of the
(A) rebel army (B) communist resistance (C) brothel (D) women's liberation movement.

19. Mama Elena's spirit sets fire to
(A) the dove cote (B) the barn (C) Chencha's apron (D) Pedro.

20. The ghost that haunts Tita is
(A) Mama Elena (B) Juan de la Garza (C) Jose Treviño (D) Casper.

21. Tita broke off her marriage to John because
(A) she was not sure that she loved him (B) he expected her to do all of the cooking for the wedding (C) she found out she wasn't pregnant (D) she thought John was too old

22. When Tita broke off the marriage
John (A) slapped Tita (B) punched Pedro (C) kicked Chencha (D) none of the above.

23. Esperanza married
(A) John's son (B) Alex
(B) the person who fell in love with her when she was a child (D) all of the above.

24. The candle lit room in chapter twelve was prepared by
(A) Chencha (B) Tita (C) Nacha (D) Pedro.

25. After the fire had consumed the ranch all that remained was
(A) the cookbook (B) Mama Elena's three-lock box
(C) the bed frame (D) Pedro's silver handled walking stick.

True/False.
1.Tita communicated with Pedro through food.
2.Rosaura was able to breast feed Roberto.
3.Gertrudis ran away and became a prostitute.
4.Dr. Brown took Tita to a mental asylum.
5.When the soldiers come to the ranch, Mama Elena hides with the family in the root cellar.
6.John's grandmother was a Kikapu Indian.
7.Mama Elena dies from shame over Tita's behavior.
8.Mama Elena became violently agitated when John asked for Tita's hand in marriage.
9.Juan de la Garza was Tita's father.
10.When Tita tells Pedro that she is pregnant he thinks they should run away.
11.Rosaura understood that Pedro and Tita belonged together so she took Esperanza and moved to Chihuahua
12.Rosaura sleeps with John to make Pedro jealous.
13.Tita wants Esperanza to carry on the family tradition and take care of Rosaura.
14.When Pedro discovers that Tita is pregnant he demands to know who the the father is.
15.Pedro and Tita name their first son John.
16.John's aunt is from Pennsylvania.
17.The narrator of Like Water for Chocolate is Esperanza's daughter.
18.Tita ate candles so she could join Pedro in the luminous tunnel.
19.Rosaura suffered from severe flatulence before her death.
20.After the wedding in chapter twelve all of the guests went to make love.
21.The bedspread Tita made covered all three hectares of the ranch.
22.Rosaura was also a good cook, but her talents were obscured by Tita's skill.
23.The author and the narrator are one and the same.
24.Quails are aggressive little piglets.
25."To the table or to bed you must come when you are bid."

Essay Writing:
Select one of the following essay topics for your paper on Like Water for Chocolate. Write on only one of the five topics listed or propose your own topic. Your essay should be typed, double-spaced, and approximately two pages long (500 words). Handwritten copies will be accepted, but reduced by one letter grade. Papers will be due on ____________

1. Like Water for Chocolate uses food and cooking as metaphors for love. Using examples from the book examine how these images function in the novel.

2. Love triangles play an important part in this story. Discuss the complex relationships that are developed through the intertwining of these relationships.

3. This novel is considered part of the genre known as "magical realism." Examine how the element of magic enhances or detracts from the story.

4. Set against the backdrop of the Mexican revolution, Like Water for Chocolate is a novel that confronts tradition. What are the benefits and drawbacks of adhering to tradition? When is tradition a good thing and when should we challenge its conventions?

5. There are several important characters in Like Water for Chocolate. Discuss the development of one character through the course of the novel. Include at least three events which cause the character to change.

6. Which character is most like you? List at least three traits you share in common with one of the major characters. How are you alike and how are you different? Does knowing this character make you see your own life differently?