Final answer:
Tita reflects on her frustration and heartache due to her mother's insistence on upholding the family tradition that prevents her from marrying. She feels oppressed and longs for a life where she can follow her heart and chooses freedom and love over the imposed familial duty.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dear Journal,
Today, I find myself wrestling with feelings of frustration and heartache, sparked yet again by Mama Elena's unwavering stance against my marriage. The weight of the family tradition oppresses me - it dictates that as the youngest daughter, I must not marry but instead care for my mother until her death. I ache to defy this antiquated custom, yearning for a life where love precedes duty.
The thought of never being able to marry Pedro, my true love, brings me immense sadness. My mother's relentless enforcement of this tradition shows her coldness, as well as her disregard for my happiness and desires. Internally, I rebel against her attitude, challenging the unfairness and wondering about the life I might lead if not chained down by such familial expectations.
Facing Mama Elena, I feel powerless, my emotions invisible to her. Although I obey outwardly, my spirit remains unreconciled with this fate. The kitchen becomes my solace, where I can pour my love and bitterness into the dishes I prepare, making them more than just sustenance. Here, in these words, I can momentarily escape the life dictated to me and dream of a different path - one filled with love, choice, and freedom.