Carolyn Chan
4/20/06
Essay #1 & 2
I have read the book Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, which
had been published in the year 1992 by Anchor Books, New York. This book is
captivating, because she tells a story about how true love never dies, even
though two lovers are forbidden to love each other. The more they are being
separated, the more they feel the passion and obsession to be in each other’s
arms. She also talks about how cultures have an affect on people’s lives, and
what are some negative effects of it. Moving on, Ms. Esquivel showed many
sequences that may lead people to a wrong understanding of her intentions,
because of many sequences that seem to show what she wants to say. However,
if her novel has been read between the lines, it would be obvious.
On the contrary, Laura Esquivel’s novel is way different from what Jill
Tweedie is talking about in her essay “The Future of Love.” She totally
contradicted what Ms. Esquivel was saying about true love. In addition, she
even stated that true love is "rubbish" or garbage in one's life; that nobody knows
what true love is. She believed that true love is the rarest of all emotions, not
necessary, not possible, and not there at all. Moreover, she even mentioned that if
love doesn't exist, then why there were jubilations and suicides. Also, she said,
the interesting thing about love is that the slow emergence of true love does not
predicate some higher version of morality.
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Carolyn Chan
4/20/06
Essay #1 & 2
Reading both works by two different authors was so confusing; each work
has their own beliefs and thoughts. However, Ms. Tweedie might think Ms.
Esquivel sees love as everything, that without it, life is meaningless. Also, if the
so-called “true love” is being forbidden, it will grow more and more intense
along with the obsession. This will lead couple to cross the line every time they
see each other with somebody else; instead of them being in each other’s arm.
Moving on, I support the point of view of Ms. Tweedie; simply because I see the
potential consequences of what “true love” can do when it doesn’t work in the
favor of the partners involved in a relationship. Further more, Ms. Esquivel’s
novel seem to be unrealistic.
First, love will do anything. No walls can’t be destroyed if love is true;
nothing can stop love; and love moves everything. Also, they say love is the
sweetest thing. Although, that’s what most people persuasion about love; love
also has a negative effect. Intense love provokes people to cross the line that will
result in betraying their partner in order to be with each other. Also, the bitterest
thing one can experience. For example, when Pedro heard the news that Tita
would marry John, his anger rises, that he almost beat John, the night before the
wedding. So I believe what Jill Tweedie said in her essay that “The interesting is
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Carolyn Chan
4/20/06
Essay #1 & 2
that the slow emergence of true love doe not predicate some higher version of
morality.”
Furthermore, nobody knows what true love is whether it’s realistic or
unrealistic, like what Ms. Tweedie stated, “…mass of men and women who how
peopled our planet and reproduce our place, love was necessary, not possible,
and not there.” This phrase speaks for itself. It explains how people see and
understand the word LOVE. For instance, a stripper doesn’t sleep with different
people because they love them, but because they need to survive. So what’s true
love really is? Does somebody can explain it in plain English.
As I have shown, love might be the sweetest thing, and can conquer
everything. However, love can also be considered garbage, when everything is
going on the other way around, and not satisfying the one who have it. But
matter how people describe it, nobody really knows what are the true meaning
of true love.
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