Aim: To review Like Water for Chocolate, Pan’s Labyrinth and their use of Magical Realism and Mythology.

Psyche and Eros Myth Living her ordinary life, Psyche became famous because of her beauty that the whole world rushed to see. Being jealous due to men’s admiration for Psyche, Goddess Aphrodite asked her son, the powerful master of love, Eros, to poison men’s souls in order to kill off their desire for Psyche. But Eros also fell in love with Psyche and was completely mesmerized by her beauty. Despite all the men coming her way, Psyche stayed unmarried, but she wanted to marry the man she would love. Her parents became so desperate because of their daughter’s destiny and had no choice but to ask for an oracle, hoping that they would manage to solve the mystery and give a husband to their daughter. Eros guided Apollo to give the oracle that Psyche would marry an ugly beast whose face she would never be able to see, and he would wait for her at the top of the mountain. Eros and Psyche It was not what Psyche’s parents were hoping for; on the contrary, they were completely devastated, as their daughter was not supposed to have such as fate, but they decided to go on and arranged the wedding of their beloved daughter with the beast. After the wedding, Psyche was able to be with her husband only at night. His tenderness and the enormous love he showed to her made Psyche happy and fulfilled beyond her expectations and dreams. She talked about her happiness with her sisters and confined in them how sad she was she couldn’t see his face.

Psych and Eros continued… Hence, the jealous sisters persuaded Psyche that her lover is not only an ugly beast but also a monster who would eventually kill her, so she should kill him first to save herself. With the oil lamp and knife in her hands, Psyche one night was ready for murder, but when she enlightened the face of her beast-husband she saw the beautiful God Eros. Caught by surprise, she spilled the oil on his face. Eros woke up and flew away telling Psyche that she betrayed him and ruined their relationship so that they could never be united again. Psyche started searching for her lost love, and finally was suggested to beg Aphrodite, who imprisoned Eros in the Palace, to see him. Aphrodite gave her three impossible tasks to accomplish in order to prove her love. Driven by her desire to reunite with Eros, she was fearless. After accomplishing the first two tasks, Psyche had to go to the Hades (Underworld) and bring the box with the elixir of beauty to Aphrodite, who ordered her not to open the box. Instead of the elixir, there was Morpheus (the god of sleep and dreams) hiding in the box and since the curious Psyche opened it, she fell asleep. Eros found out what happened, run away from the Palace, and begged Zeus to save his Psyche. Amazed by their love, Zeus went even further – he made Psyche immortal so that two lovers could be together forever.

Pan’s Labyrinth – Myth? To understand why mortals are put through harsh realities, the film attempts to encourage us to “look beyond the restrictions of our horizons, and inspiring us to find moments of ecstasy in the mystery of our own mortality.” Think of Ofelia’s imagination as reflective of all this. We learn through an imaginative young girl how to transcend the world which brings us much pain.

Like Water for Chocolate – Myth? Even the use of Magical Realism Like Water for Chocolate owes much to the mythological tradition – much of what Magical Realism tries to do is “transcend the limitations of history and science.” Can Like Water for Chocolate qualify as a mythological story? Does it attempt to answer the unanswerable like how we came in being, why we fall in love, why we die and where we might go after death? Does Tita go on a version of the hero’s journey?

Like Water for Chocolate – Feminist Text? Kitchen as Conflicting Metaphor - Tita mostly inhabits the kitchen – a domestic sphere that contemporary feminist see as subjugating and confining a woman rather than freeing her. Nevertheless, how does Tita gain strength from it? How does Tita manage to reclaim the kitchen, reclaim the domestic sphere that is so closely associated with female submission? The kitchen Sexality as Power - What about Gertrudis? She seems to gain her strength from her sexuality. As a result, she becomes one of the most successful and strong characters. Can we accept sexuality as a form of strength for women? Compare Gertrudis to Mama Elena, Nurse Ratched and Lady Macbeth and their relationship to sexuality. Who is stronger?

Feminism & Mythology? Is there a connection between the two? What is being said when strong, powerful and feminine characters are depicted in a setting that incorporates the almost unbelievable? Is it not possible in a more realistic setting? Could Gertrudis’, Tita’s and Ofelia’s stories not be possible in reality? Think of all of the female characters we have encountered this year? Which one was the most well-rounded? Is the idea of the strong likeable female a myth?