Literature Analysis: Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

Like Water for Chocolate- Literature Analysis -

A Tale of Two Cities: Title Meaning

In the novel A Tale of Two Cities, the author Charles Dickens uses two specific cities (Paris and London) as a comparative. He tries to demonstrate the daily life living in England, while comparing it to the times that were occurring in France during the French Revolution. He didn't state it outwardly because it could've caused a riot about a possible revolution in England. He is a blunt man who titles his novels about the central character or point of his stories, so it was natural for him to point out "two cities" since he was unable to bluntly state the central point of his story without getting in trouble.

Me I Am

Jack Prelutsky

Me I Am !

I am the only Me I Am
Who qualifies as me,
no Me I AM has been before,
and none will ever be
No other Me I Am can feel
the feelings I’ ve within,
no other Me I Am can fit
precisely in my skin
There is no other Me I Am
who thinks the thoughts I do,
the world contains one Me I Am
this earth shall ever see,
that Me I Am I always am
is no one else but Me!


I think that this poem is easy to like because it shows that each person is their own self. It makes everyone seem special and like the most important person.  There will never ever be another ME in this world because no one will ever be ME.

The Open Question

The most influential characters are mainly displayed through the protagonists and/or antagonists of the novels, such as Esperanza was in the novel The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Esperanza's character was designed to impact the reader either in a very positive manner or an extremely negative way. Personally, her character inspired me and forced me to be compassionate and concerned for her actions throughout the book. I was sensitive towards that character, mostly because of the way she was presented by the author to the audience. Sandra Cisneros used the techniques such as setting and tone to her advantage in convincing the readers of the character's admirable traits.

Esperanza's character was a confused, lost, innocent girl that was only trying to find her place in such a big world. Her actions spoke of desire and determination to become something greater than what the rest expected of her. She put in the most effort to not blend in with the normality in her neighborhood and instead stand out in the crowd. Esperanza was a likeable character because of the perseverance she had, even when she lived horrible situations that could mentally and emotionally destroy any average person. One of the hideous crimes that her character lived through was sexual assault, which only boosted my level of sympathy towards her. She managed to put that behind and continue on with her goal of leaving Mango Street showing her courage as a person.

Cisneros immediately received sympathy for Esperanza after describing the setting that she so much disliked.  All the sulking, depression, bad memories, pessimism was centered around Mango Street. The meaning of her lack of existence and the pain endured by Esperanza had been shaped and revolved around the street which she refused to call her home. I felt a need to protect this character from her own home because she despised it so much. I was drawn to this character by her background that came along with a story of sadness. I was impelled to know more about her because she had been through such a scarring beginning and even that didn't affect her kindness and tenacity.

Just as the setting was able to gain my attention in a positive manner, the tone did as well. The tones varied throughout the book as Esperanza described many of her past experiences. She was disappointed, hostile, fearful, etc. as her life got worse. Her mood changes described a true person, one that's not just a character in a book. I was able to connect with her character on a personal level and it interested me to see how even characters in a book have such conflicts troubling their minds.

The House on Mango Street contained such a realistic, eye-opening character that endured abuse and humiliation, yet she had the strength to carry on with her life. Her character was my favorite throughout the novel because she never thought of giving up only of pushing forward. She wanted to be successful and never achieved that goal. However, her story continued past the end of the novel because she ended still believing in herself.

Big Question Abstract

Topic: What will happen to the world after all humanity is gone?

Life on Earth after humanity is gone has been questioned for many years, starting from the beginning of time. Some researchers state that after human extinction proof of our existence will be preserved within our buildings/structures. Within time our technological advances will be diminished, however some specific geographical feature will still be intact, such as Mt. Rushmore. Monuments and sculptures are believed to be the longest lasting artifacts left of the human race. I think that it’s important to be able to recognize the possibility of humanity’s extinction and try to cope with some ways of helping our memories last longer. Many people look into their future, without ever making extinction as one of their future’s options. With this study humanity may be able to invest more time and effort in producing something that may last more than a lifetime, and which can withstand any type of mass destruction to carry on with the past. While researching this topic I will look into the myths that people have produced throughout the years based on their religion and beliefs and then I will compare it to scientific studies from the professionals that have put time and research in figuring things out. Comparing those two views and understanding the background well, I think will allow me to grasp the concept better.