Like Water for Chocolate is a wonderful novel that shows the a different perspective of love in a Mexican context. The protagonist, Tita falls for an American named John but also loves her sister's husband, Pedro. From an American standpoint, John embodies what is an ideal marriage partner: safe, caring, considerate, stable. Pedro, on the other hand, is essentially the opposite of who John is. He's rash, harsh, and lustful. From an American perspective, they would see Pedro as someone you have a good time with for a little bit, maybe have a wild weekend. However, he's not someone you fall in love with.
However, Mexicans see this differently. From their perspective, John is a horrible partner; he's boring and un-passionate. How can love blossom if the lovers don't fight for it? John gave up Tita to Pedro without a fight. Regardless of how much he cares for Tita, if he isn't going to show it, then he is wasting both his and Tita's time. Love that is fought for passionately is how true love is found. As John M. Perkins once said, "Love is the final fight."
We see something similar to this in the movie Outsourced. Asha, a worker in telephone sales, falls in love with Todd. The viewer sees her fighting her traditional values as an Indian woman arranged to a marriage. She has a few days of fun with Todd but doesn't talk to him when Todd heads back to America. The end of the movie shows Todd receiving a phone call from Asha and it is assumed that the two get together. Like in Like Water for Chocolate, Outsourced shows that love fought for leads to the most fulfilling and passionate love.
You make a good point about the contrast of John and Pedro symbolizing safe, mild love vs. passionate, fulfilling love. Certainly Esquivel is promoting the second kind of love Your connection to Outsourced is good, and the irony of the title of the movie is humorous when one considers that love might be outsourced because it is better if it is not local. But in Outsourced they go against tradition for fulfillment which is rare in real life. That Tita and Pedro both bow to tradition until the deaths of Rosaura and Mama Elena liberate them, shows the tension between passion and respect for tradition that is perhaps more representative of what most people live through. Your observations and connections are good, but for a Reader Response, you are missing the personal connection that gives context to your judgements. For an example of weaving personal experience into the literary analysis, check out Rebecca Schaeper's blog.
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