The Mother and the Marriage

This movie was unlike any I had seen before, which was really a relief. I've been going to Signs and Wonders so long that I was beginning to fear I'd seen it all.

It was so strange to see the mixture of magic and historical accuracy. I've read a lot of old fairytales, and I'd say this movie completely fits into fairytale category. Fairytales are just plain weird because half the time nothing makes sense, and the characters always think everything makes sense.

If I remember correctly, an old lady at my church once mentioned a family that she knew who had this same tradition of one of the children staying at home until the parents died. I can't remember if it was the oldest child or the youngest; I think it was the oldest. I understand that parents ought not to be abandoned when they're old; but why can't a married child take care of the old parents? Doesn't that make more sense?

I think it was because of knowing that some people actually have this tradition that I at first tried to sympathize with Tita's mother. I thought she was just set in her ways and unreasonable, but not wicked. And when she constantly tried to keep Pedro and Tita apart after the wedding, I thought she did right (though she was really mean about it), because Pedro was married to Rosaura, and love is not an excuse for adultery. You know, he's the one who chose to marry Rosaura. I don't care why he did it, he ought to have been faithful to her, and Tita should've done right and let her sister have Pedro once she married him. Finally, though, (I think it was during the mother's bath) I had to admit that the mother was a total jerk, never mind the family traditions problem.

I did not like Pedro at all. He was plain selfish and stupid. Marry the one woman and ruin her life just to go around kissing her sister? Poor Rosaura. And as Tita said, why didn't Pedro just kidnap her at the beginning? It would've been so much better for everyone.

I want to end by saying that I applaud, like most people, when love is strong and lasts a long time through difficulties; but in this story, I thought the two lovers were wrong. They should have given up their faithfulness in romance for something better: faithfulness in marriage.

And I also want to say that I love Gertrudis. This is the best picture of her I could find