In “Like Water For Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel the central theme is Love and responsibility. The author shows us this by telling a story of a young girl named Tita whose religion causes her to take care of her mother until she has died. This disables her from being able to have any children of her own and to marry Pedro Muzquiz. Esquivel uses Symbolism and paradoxes to show that when growing up you must take responsibility and do what youre supposed to but sometimes love makes you selfish and you do whats right for yourself. The question is why does Tita follow her religion and doesn't do what she wants. The theme shows that taking responsibility is more important than being selfish and doing as you please. Laura Esquivel uses food as a symbol for the love she has for Pedro. When Tita is in the kitchen castrating live roosters she expresses her feelings towards her mother and saying "when they had chosen something to be neutered, they'd made a mistake, they should have chosen her. At least then there would be some justification for not allowing her to marry and giving Rosaura her place beside the man she loved." She continuously uses food to express her feeling while confined in the kitchen the preparation of meals show her true emotions towards Pedro,his children and how she really feels about her mother trying to drive a wedge between herself and Pedro. The author also proves the theme using the kitchen as a paradoxical symbol. It represents confinement something