Feminism in " Como aqua para chocolate” and “Danzon”
A couple of week's ago, I watched “Como agua para chocolate”, a Mexican novel/ film by Laura Esquivel. I highlighted that although the narrative appears to be progressive and to celebrate women's willingness to break from tradition, it is clear that neither the novel nor the film achieve true liberation for the characters. Feminine power is derived through the fulfillment of traditional roles such as marriage and motherhood and it is the masculine gaze and agency that determine the course of the novel. Men are physically present only occasionally, yet the legacy of sexism and the confinement of women to the domestic sphere persist. “Danzon” by contrast does attempt to define contemporary …show more content…
This gaze is that which is traditionally ascribed to the male in traditional Mexican literature and cinema. Another way in which the film breaks with traditional forms of representation is that while it substitutes feminine figures and roles in place of their masculine counterparts, it seeks to document, narrate and represent the subjective, social reality experienced by women. A woman goes to search for man to be a friend and dance partner rather than a financial supporter. Carmelo seems to be a trigger and an excuse to continue the film. The plot evolves precisely because he never shows up but the story is essentially about Julia's liberation from social expectations. It also addresses the need for change in Mexican society. There are two life experiences that are quite different in the film. One is very traditional, mired in routine and stereotypes and the other is a free and more entertain existence. The film addresses the possibility of personal change, in that Julia dares to risk her job for the sake of something, which has real meaning for her; a life beyond Carmelo, within which she has the central role to play. The possibility of change in a female character composes a subversive element that upsets the distribution of power in gender