Analysis of the House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

In the book Isabel Allende experiments with various literary devices. The many different narrative voices used in this book allow the reader to understand the book from dissimilar perspectives. As the story unfolds, one can see the symbolism that occurs in many of the events. The story revolves around the different generations of the Del Valle family. Symbolism is used as a literary device in this book to apply ideas and images to explain something in particular. Symbolism provides meaning to the writing beyond what is actually being described. The plot and action that take place in this story can be thought of as one level, while the symbolism of certain things in the writing of this story act on another level to enhance the story. The†¦show more content†¦The rape led to an unwanted pregnancy. Despite the circumstances under which the child was conceived, Alba vowed to love her unborn daughter. This shows Alba was trying to change the trend of how women viewed children that resulted from rape as it was probably uncommon at that time for people to love these children. There was a frequent reference to â€Å"a poet† whose work was widely respected in this novel. The Count de Satigny (who was Esteban Trueba’s ‘suitable’ choice of a husband for Blanca) referred to the work of the poet as â€Å"the best poetry ever written, and nothing could compare to it†. When Jaime and Nicholas became adults, the poet became more widely accepted as Clara had formerly predicted the first time she heard him recite in his ‘telluric voice’ in one of her literary soireà ©s. It was evident that the poet lived and wrote about the right of the citizens to live their lives the way they wanted to, making their own decisions and expressing their own opinions without being controlled. For this reason, the funeral of such a poet became â€Å"the symbolic burial of freedom†. As time went on, Esteban Trueba began to shrink as Ferula’s curse had proclaimed- â€Å"I set my curse on you, Esteban! Your body and soul will shrivel up and you’ll die like a dog† (pg 158). This gradual â€Å"shrink† to the height of Clara, signified the diminishing of the power. His interaction with Clara’s gentle spirit is also an alignment which is symbolized by hisShow MoreRelatedAnalysis of The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende Essay823 Words   |  4 Pagessolve the puzzle of a family history. In The House of Spirits, Isabel Allende tells the story of many generations of a family in Latin America. There are three prominent themes in The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende. First, the social divide between those who are â€Å"civilized† and those who are supposed barbarians. Second, the influence of women and their role in society. Third, the clash between social classes. The first major theme in The House of Spirits is the division between civilization andRead MoreSummary Of The House Of The Spirits 1651 Words   |  7 PagesJune 23, 2017 The House of the Spirits, a Women’s World January 8, 1981, Allende begin writing a goodbye letter to her 99-year-old grandfather who was dying, she narrates in her biography, Paula, â€Å"I wanted to tell him not to worry, that nothing would be lost of the treasury of anecdotes he had told me through the years of our comradeship; I had forgotten nothing† (Levine). Once she started she could not stop, it quickly turned into her family story titled, The House of the Spirits. This book was aRead MoreEssay on Isabel Allendes The House of the Spirits1609 Words   |  7 PagesIsabel Allendes The House of the Spirits In many novels, relationships shape a character. Throughout Isabel Allendes The House of the Spirits dissimilar individuals constantly come together to form relationships that change or develop their disposition. While Allende uses relationships to build upon a character, she also depicts a characters living environment in order to confirm their true soul and lifestyle. Due to the observation of both relationships and environments, a characters trueRead MoreAnalysis of â€Å"Dark Shadows† as a Gothic Masterpiece2169 Words   |  9 PagesAnalysis of â€Å"Dark Shadows† as a Gothic Masterpiece To most, when asked to define what Gothic is, they will state that it is similar to any other story, just with more â€Å"darkness.† This is because Gothic stories all have a classic story line. First, there is the main character’s back story, if any is then told. Next, there are events that lead up to a horrible incident that is the climax of the story. Lastly, the character finds some way to fix the situation or free him- or herself fromRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pageslamentable. Taken together, the key themes and processes that have been selected as the focus for each of the eight essays provide a way to conceptualize the twentieth century as a coherent unit for teaching, as well as for written narrative and analysis. Though they do not exhaust the crucial strands of historical development that tie the century together—one could add, for example, nationalism and decolonization—they cover in depth the defining phenomena of that epoch, which, as the essays demonstrate