LAST WEEK WE BEGAN MYTHOLOGICAL and psychological analysis of the novel Like Water for Chocolate. Besides reviewing some basics relating to Jungian psychology (Dr. G. Boeree’s essay on Jung and this approach), we also looked at some AP psych textbooks’s overview of Jung’s personality theory. Students completed a personality assessment from the book Finding the Hero Within, through which they identified their core archetypes. This week, we finish our reading of the short—albeit excellent—Mexican novel about a woman’s survival of a crushing and abusive relationship with her mother (and how her culture saves her) via her heroic journey ala Joseph Campbell.

MONDAY

Writing our second, in-class journal on food. Our first was a descriptive analysis of comfort-food (or an emotional response to food from your life). Today, students will write about a positive family memory that is associated with an important food (one that carries cultural or other significance). We will briefly discuss Three-Kings Cake and then begin work on “September” in LWFC.
HW: Finish reading chapter nine.

TUESDAY

Short discussion of chapter nine, adding to your myth/psych charts on Tita’s life experiences. Then turning to chapter ten, “October.” How is Tita’s emotional and psychological chaos mirrored in the literal world of the Ranch? We will start reading chapter 10 together.
HW: Finish reading chapter ten.

WEDNESDAY

Short discussion of chapter ten. Then turning our focus to the parallels between John’s nurturing of Tita and Tita’s nurturing of Pedro. We will also examine the destructive force of the chicken-tornado and her dissolution of her relationship with John.
HW: Read chapter eleven.

THURSDAY

Small group work. Returning to our paired analysis of Tita, and what the novel says about her in mythological and psychological terms.
HW: Review your annotations. We will finish the novel in class tomorrow.

FRIDAY

Reading chapter 12 together, and writing our third and final food journal in class.
HW: None. Have a restful break. We will turn to our Ramayana revisions and Homer’s Illiad.