Answer:
Meg is the protagonist and the story and went through many changes.
Explanation: In the beginning of the story she is very timid, shy, insecure, and awkward. She has many issues when it comes to self-worth because she get's bad grades in school, she's constantly compared to her parents, and she tends to be quite immature. In chapter 1 on page 3 one of the girls tells her "After all, Meg, we aren't grammar-school kids any more. Why do you always act like such a baby?" because Meg decides to go a little crazy during lunch. But, at some point she decides to step up and try to find her father but is taking care of her little brother at the same time. She opens up and is willing to try new things and trust and love people as well as overcomes he fears.
Spare the rod and spoil the child.
Dr. Brown shows Tita how phosphorous combined with oxygen can create a flame. He shares with her one of his grandmother’s old sayings that everyone has a box of matches inside them that can only be lit by oxygen and a candle. The oxygen, says Dr. Brown is a lover and the candle can be any other pleasure in life. He claims that finding the elements to ignite the matches within is a task that each person must complete in order to nourish his soul. If a person does not discover what ignites their matches then the matchbox dampens and the soul leaves the body in search of something to nourish it.
Also this symbol of “matches” repeats throughout the book as a symbol of Tita’s happiness and her life. When all the matches are light in the end she died.
https://www.gradesaver.com/like-water-for-chocolate/q-and-a/how-is-tita-like-a-book-of-matches-p115-116-422207
