Besides being obedience, Tita also cares to everyone but not all of them are grateful. Yet, Tita is patient enough to deal with those ungrateful people. As a
good daughter, Tita takes care of her mother’s needs patiently. In the ranch, Tita
has a duty to prepare her mother’s bathing which requires extra concern and patience.
Preparing Mama Elenas bath was quite a ceremony Esquivel, 1992: 93. …
She brushed Mama Elenas hair until it was thoroughly dry, braided it, and that completed the liturgy. Tita always thanked God that her mother
only bathed once a week, because otherwise her life would be a real cross to bear.
In Mama Elenas opinion… no matter how hard Tita tried she always got an infinite number of things wrong Esquivel, 1992: 94.
Tita is always patient to serve her mother ’s needs, even about her
mother’s bathing steps which are such a ceremony, she never complains. Although her mother complains about her service, Tita never gets angry or even
gives up serving her mother. She still manages to do all of her duty patiently.
2. The Description of Tita De la Garza in the Second Period
As stated above, Tita is a round character. She has a conversion of mindset which is delivered through her characteristic in the story. Her changing
characteristic is her being obedience. In this period, Tita becomes disobedient and braver. These characteristics are in the second period which happens after
Chencha brings the news that Roberto died in San Antonio because of digestive problem. In the first period, Tita tries to fulfill her obligation as a woman and a
daughter. In the second period, Tita begins to show her refusal to the obligation PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
which is felt as a burden to her. Later, she is described as a rebellious, decisive, independent, and expressive woman.
One day, Tita gets news that Roberto died because of digestive problem. Mama Elena
’s respond toward Roberto’s death makes Tita angry. Mama Elenadoes not show her longing of losing Roberto and even bans Tita to cry. Tita
cannot understand her mother ’s attitude. With her anger, she protests her mother,
as stated: Tita felt a violent agitation take pos
session of her being: … she calmly met her mothers gaze and then, instead of obeying her order, she started
to tear apart all the sausages she could reach, screaming wildly. Heres what I do with your orders Im sick of them Im sick of obeying you
Esquivel, 1989: 99.
That is the first time Tita disobeys and rebels her mother’s command.
Even she looks directly into her mother’s eyes, which proves that she is not afraid
of her mother’s pressure anymore. Tita accuses her mother as the cause of Roberto’s death, as stated: You did it, you killed Roberto screamed Tita
Esquivel, 1989: 99. She blames Mama Elena because she is the one who commands Pedro and his family to move away so that Tita and Pedro will not be
together. After Mama Elena separated Tita and Pedro by sending Pedro and his family to San Antonio, no one can give meals which fit Roberto’s digestion.
By screaming to her mother it shows that as a daughter, Tita does not obey her mother anymore. The words spoken by Tita
’s mouth show that Tita is really fed up by her mother’s authoritativeness. Her anger to her mother is the
accumulation of her exhausted feeling in receiving her mother’s pressure, and then Roberto’s death is the limit of her patience of those pressures.
Mama Elena is very angry with Tita’s disobedience. By being a daughter who disobeys her mother
’s commands which most of them contains of patriarchal value, Tita shows that she also breaks the value of patriarchy which states that
women should be submissive. Her next rebellion toward her mother is when she thinks that she gets
pregnant with Pedro. Mama Elena’s spirit haunts her and curses her pregnancy. Yet, the second time Mama Elena’s spirit comes to her, Tita has her defense and
they argue at each other as seen from the dialogue below: See what youve done now? You and Pedro are shameless. If you dont
want blood to flow in this house, go where you cant do any harm to anybody, before its too late.
The one who should be going is you. Im tired of your tormenting me. Leave me in peace once and for all
Not until you behave like a good woman, or a decent one at least What do you mean, decent? Like you?
Yes. But thats just what Im doing Or didnt you have an illicit child?
You will be condemned to hell for talking to me like this No more than you Esquivel, 1989: 199.
Tita becomes more rebellious to her mother. She does not only disobey her mother’s command but also she dares to remind Mama Elena about her past
mistake which implies her refusal of her mother’s decency. Her mother always scolds her that she does not behave like a good woman, but Tita already knows
the truth of her mother’s past so that she is able to fight back to her mother’s words.
As has been described, during her life under the same roof with Mama Elena, Tita’s freedom is very limited. She cannot have her own decision for her
life, such as marrying the man she loves. After Roberto died, Tita leaves the house and being taken care of by Dr. John Brown. She suffers a depression because of
her mother’s continual authoritativeness and also her nephew’s death. After recovered, she decides not to come back to the ranch.
As they were saying good-bye, Tita told Chencha her decision never to go back to the ranch again; she asked her to tell Mama Elena Esquivel,
1989: 126.
Her decision not to go back to the ranch proves that Tita is able to choose the choice for herself. Tita becomes decisive and she decides to get her freedom.
To go back to the ranch means that she also goes back to her mother’s authority,
which also means that she will not be free. Therefore, she chooses not to go back. Tita becomes brave enough to decide her own destiny. Besides choosing not to go
back to the ranch, Tita also thinks about staying with John and marries him. She had to find someone who could kindle her desire. Could that
someone be John? She was remembering the pleasant sensation that ran through her body when he took her hand in the laboratory. No. She
wasnt sure. The only thing she was absolutely sure about was that she did not want to return to the ranch. She never wanted to live near Mama
Elena again Esquivel, 1989: 118. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Her choice to marry John is the form of her refusal toward the family tradition which bans her from getting married since she has to take care of her
mother. She decides to get married and have her own life. By refusing the family tradition, it means that Tita gains her freedom.
Even though Tita decides not to go back to the ranch, unfortunately, one day she has to go back to take care of her sick mother. Some bandits attack Mama
Elena and rape the maid Chencha. Therefore, Tita chooses to go back and takes care of her mother.Tita who comes back to the ranch is not the old Tita. She has
transformed into an independent Tita. At the ranch, she dares to face her mother. Her mother received her in silence. For the first time Tita firmly held
her gaze, and Mama Elena lowered hers. There was a strange light in Titas eyes Esquivel, 1989: 129.
The strange light in Tita’s eyes is the reflection of her free spirit which can
defend her from her mother’s influence. Her own willingness to take care of her sick mother shows her independence from
her mother’s authoritativeness. Mama Elena’s response to Tita’s glance shows that Tita is stronger than before.
She is no more under her mother’s pressure. Tita’s devotion to her sick mother finally ends because her mother died
of overdoses. After died, Mama Elena’s spirit still haunts Tita. Yet, Tita is
encouraged to fight against her mother’s spirit. Tita’s courage to gain her full freedom finally reaches its top when she told her opinion about who she is and
what she wants to her mother’s spirit.
Shut your mouth Who do you think you are? I know who I am A person who has a perfect right to live her life as she
pleases. Once and for all, leave me alone1 I wont put up with you I hate you, Ive always hated you Esquivel, 1989: 199.
She declares her freedom by choosing what she wants to be in her life and toughly banishing Mama Elena’s spirit by saying that she hates Mama Elena.
Those words which are purely from her deepest heart are able to send her mother
’s spirit away. When Mama Elena died, Rosaura and Pedro decide to stay at the ranch
again. Pedro is jealous at John because he seesthe intimacy between John and Tita. Yet, it cannot be denied that Tita is
Pedro’s true love and vice versa. The love between them reemerges and one night when there is a chance, they make
love in the storeroom. Without answering, Pedro went to her, extinguished the lamp, pulled her
to a brass bed that had once belonged to her sister Gertrudis, and throwing himself upon her, caused her to lose her virginity and learn of
true love Esquivel, 1989: 158.
As a woman, Tita becomes more expressive in showing her love to Pedro.
She does not refuse Pedro’s action. When Pedro throws himself upon Tita, she is no longer suppresses her passionate love to Pedro so that finally the make
love. Her expressiveness also emerges when she has a conversation with Rosaura. In this conversation Tita’s emotion is exploding.
I think you and I are overdue for a talk, dont you agree? Yes, I certainly do. We have been ever since you married my
boyfriend. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Fine, if thats what you want, lets start there. With your wrongful claim to a boyfriend. You had no right to have a boyfriend.
Says who? Is that according to Mama or to you? Esquivel, 1989: 213. ... I married him because thats what he wanted. If you had had the
tiniest scrap of pride, you would have put him out of your mind forever. Well for your information, he married you just so he could be near me.
He doesnt love you, and you know that perfectly well. Esquivel, 1989: 214.
From the conversation above, it can be seen that Tita obviously shows her hatred to Rosaura. She expresses her hatred to her sister in a state as no longer
an obedient daughter or powerless sister but as a free woman. She is encouraged to express her true feeling of losing Pedro caused by the family tradition.
B. The Patriarchal Practices Experienced by Tita
