Historical Fiction

If you were to ask anyone the question: "What is history?", you may get answers that include the study of people or events that occurred in the past. That study may include dates and places. This sounds like a chronology of facts. But what if history could be more than just facts? History has been documented and commented on in textbooks. In addition, history has been depicted in and expressed in literature and art. Historical fiction, such as Les Miserables, uses the French Revolution to propel the plot forward; adding a richness and dimension to the actions of the characters. The same can be said of the novels by Laura Esquivel and Luis Sepulveda. They have incorporated elements of history, providing multiple layers of meaning and understanding to the text. In Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate, a story of love and war revolves around Tita, the youngest of three sisters. Sepulveda's The Old Man Who Read Love Stories, explores the fragile balance between man and nature along with the agony of lost love. Although Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate and Sepulveda's The Old Man Who Read Love Stories set their stories against the backdrop of history, they are based on different historical conflicts, how they are presented, and their symbolic nature.

The Mexican Revolution and the Battle of Pichincha are the historical conflicts found in these Latin American novels. Like Water for Chocolate is set against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution of 1910-17. This conscious decision provides contextual information without listing specifically, who, what, where, and when. Yet, the interactions with the Rebels and the conflicts depicted in town between the Rebels and Federales become relevant to the themes and relationships found in this story. Specifically, how the relationships within Tita's family can be divided to represent the roles that the Rebels and the Federales played during the Mexican Revolution. In comparison, Luis Sepulveda uses history in his novel in a subtle way. The main character, Antonio Jose Bolivar Proano, is named after two prominent individuals in Ecuadorian history. These men are Antonio Jose de Sucre and Simon Bolivar. Choosing to name the protagonist after these two historical figures shows the importance of his role as a liberator of Ecuador.

Freedom and liberation are a couple of the themes found in Esquivel's novel. These themes are supported by the historical backdrop of the Mexican Revolution that took place during the turn of the century, between 1910-17. During this time, peasants and natives came together under the leadership of men like Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata to revolt against the current dictatorship. Zapata's chief concern during the Mexican Revolution was the distribution of land to the people. In addition, these men and women wanted a free and democratic Mexico. During this war, Zapata and Villa participated in the overthrow of Porfirio Diaz and Francisco Madero. For much of the novel, Tita is trying or longing to break free of the rule of Mama Elena who is cast in the role of dictator, embodying the characteristics of Porfirio Diaz, the dictator of Mexico. Gertrudis is the first to break free from Mama Elena's hold when she dashes off into the sunset after enjoying the "Quail in Rose Sauce" prepared by Tita. These two daughters are on the same side of the battle (representing rebellion) against tradition and the forces of Mama Elena and Rosaura, who represent the Federales. Tita's rebellion grows in more direct ways and comes to a head after hearing the news that her nephew has passed away:

Here's what I do with your orders. I'm sick of them. I'm sick of obeying you (Esquivel 99).

Tita has finally stood up to her mother, giving her a piece of her mind. Unfortunately, this is also when Tita has a breakdown and her mother calls for Dr. Brown to take her to an asylum. After her mother's death, we see Tita fight back again. First with her inability to

resist the temptation to violate the oh-so-rigid rules her mother imposed in the kitchen ... and in life (Esquivel 199).

The ghost of her mother has begun to appear, attempting to torment Tita. Tita stands up to her mother again:

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 alone; I won't put up with you! I hate you, I've always hated you! (Esquivel 199).

The time she had away from the ranch and her ability to stand her ground before her mother passed away has shaped Tita into a strong and independent woman who has figured out who she is; knowing what to do with her own hands on her own terms.

The Mexican Revolution, as a backdrop to the storyline, is significant because we can place the characters in the opposing camps: Rebels vs. Federales. The struggle for freedom against oppression is a powerful theme, and Esquivel does a fantastic job of incorporating the elements of The Mexican Revolution into the lives of the characters. Gertrudis and Tita attain liberation and reap the rewards of perseverance; food is often the catalyst for desired change.

Luis Sepulveda's The Old Man Who Read Love Stories is full of metaphors and the first line of the novel sets the stage for the entire novel. History and nature play a huge role in this novel and Sepulveda has found ways to incorporate both; adding meaning to every passage. Quickly, we become acquainted with key characters, including the Mayor, Antonio Jose Bolivar Proano, and the ocelot and the connection between them. Antonio Jose Bolivar Proano deduces the death of the white mand and concludes:

Now she has killed a man. She scented and tasted human blood, and in her small animal brain we all murdered her litter, we all smell the same to her (Sepulveda 19).

To better understand this statement, it is important to understand Antonio's role in this story. It is not surprising that this character is named after two individuals who helped the indigenous people of Ecuador rebel against the Spanish colonizers. These men were Simon Bolivar and Antonio Jose de Sucre. In 1809, Bolivar and Sucre invaded the capital of Ecuador and at the Battle of Pichincha, Sucre defeated the Spanish, bringing about Ecuadorian independence.

The Encyclopedia Britannica shares that the Battle of Pichincha was one of the major battles during the Latin-American Wars of independence. Adding that the South American rebels defeated the Spanish royalists, enabling the rebels to occupy Quito, Ecuador. Most significantly,

Simon Bolivar, leader of the revolutionary forces in northern South America, was acclaimed liberator, and Ecuador was joined to the newly formed but transitory Republic of Gran Colombia.

These two men are important figures in the history of Ecuador. Sepulveda, likely, was paying tribute to both of these men in naming the main character after them as well as naming the skip (or riverboat) "Sucre". Antonio Jose Bolivar Proano has a deep respect for the culture of the native people as well as for the land and nature of the jungle. He does not support the agenda of the colonizers and recognizes the destruction that colonization and imperialism bring to the jungle of Ecuador and the indigenous people, the Shuar. The mayor's treatment of the Shuar is typical of Spanish colonizers who viewed the indigenous peoples as uncivilized and in need of rescuing/salvation through conversion to Christianity. As history has indicated, Spanish America was subject to slavery; justified by the belief that the indigenous were no better than animals. This brings us back to the very first line of the novel:

The sky was a donkey's swollen paunch hanging threateningly low overhead (Sepulveda 1).

The donkey is a beast of burden and slaves were viewed as beasts of burden. The "swollen paunch" indicates that the injustices may be so great that the consequences are about to burst like a storm. And its threat overhead is similar to the blade of the guillotine; death is inevitable. The metaphors and the naming of the boat and the main character provide the historical context necessary to understand the motivations of Antonio Jose Bolivar Proano and the other characters in Sepulveda's novel. Patterns of history also appear in Sepulveda's novel, causing the reader to reflect on lessons learned since primary age.

The Old Man Who Read Love Stories draws on familiar themes in United States history as well as in Latin American history. At the beginning of the novel, there is a passage where the mayor is accusing the Shuar of killing the man that they brought to El Idilio:

You killed him. Start walking. You'll tell me why in my office. Get a move on, you savages" (Sepulveda 15).

And the mayor continues to call the Shuar savages in this chapter several more times. This is ironic, in that there is a passage in the novel that reveals the mayor's nature and relationship with the woman that lives with him:

For as long as anyone could remember, he had lived with a native woman whom he beat savagely... (Sepulveda 13).

Colonization of previously inhabited lands has been around for a very long time; Christopher Columbus set in motion developments in history that produced changes impacting both the American and European continents - the resulting consequences are evident in our daily lives. Colonization has always been about power through the acquisition of wealth and we see this in Luis Sepulveda's novel as gold prospectors encroach on the jungle; disrespecting nature and the way of life for the indigenous people.

The narrative depicts how the Shuar helped the settlers survive; bringing to mind what we had been taught since primary school about the Indians who helped the pilgrims; teaching them how to plant, etc. in the wild of the American continent. The compassion and empathy expressed by the Native Americans were repaid with disrespect and disdain as the European settlers viewed them as uncivilized and savage. This view was faulty as they did not know or understand the complex cultural aspects of Native American life or their governing bodies. The same was true of explorers who came across native cities in South and Central America.

One of the most advanced was Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire (now Mexico City). Even though the cultures in South and Central America had cities, roads, irrigation systems, trade networks, and amazing architectural structures, the European explorers still considered the indigenous people to be uncivilized and savage. Sepulveda's novel demonstrates this same disparity; the mayor represents the European power/authority and views.

The historical context applied to the narratives of Esquivel and Sepulveda's work provides a framework that supports each piece in very different ways. From comparing domestic relationships against the opposing forces in a political conflict to creating a hero symbolizing liberation and freedom from oppression. Both techniques work; adding uniqueness to the main storylines of Like Water for Chocolate and The Old Man Who Read Love Stories. With that in mind, how would you answer the question: "What is history?" The history embedded in literature often provides the reader with a better understanding of a particular time; as well as an awareness of the cyclical nature of history. In addition to the study of people or events that occurred in the past which might include dates and places, history becomes a pattern. In this case, the pattern of conflict and resolution. The question that remains: "Why is it important to embed literature with history?" Is it possible that there might be something for the reader to learn or to understand?

References:

"Battle of Pichincha." Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 17 May 2020, www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Pichincha.

Esquivel, Laura, et al. Like Water for Chocolate. Doubleday, 1995.

Hudson, David L. The Handy History Answer Book. Third ed., Visible Ink Press, 2013.

Sepulveda, Luis, and Peter Bush. The Old Man Who Read Love Stories. First Harvest ed., Harcourt, Inc. 1995.