Literature Companion: The House of the Spirits

By History World

There is an interesting story behind the conception of the novel. It is said that Isabel Allende got the news that her one hundred year-old grandfather was dying. She started writing a letter to her grandfather. This very letter, eventually, became manuscript of “The House of the Spirits.”

The story covers the details upto the four generations of the Trueba family. It also traces the post-colonial social and political changes and upheavals which the people of Chile experienced.

Literature Companion: The House of the Spirits
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Epilogue
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Jul 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311794208

Book preview

Literature Companion: The House of the Spirits

History World

Copyright

Literature Companion: The House of the Spirits

History World

Copyright@2014 History World

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved

Chapter One: Introduction

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende was first published in 1982. It was the debut novel of the author.

Before being published, several other Spanish language publishers had rejected the novel, but when it was, eventually, published in Barcelona in the year 1982, it became an instant best seller. It was very well received by both readers and reviewers.

The Spanish title of the book is La Casa de los espíritus.

The book was highly acclaimed by the literary critics around the world. It made Allende a literary star overnight.

In the year of its publication, the novel was declared the Best Novel of the Year in Chile. Allende was awarded the country’s Panorama Literario Award.

It is highly noticeable that The House of the Spirits has been translated into twenty languages worldwide.

There is an interesting story behind the conception of the novel. It is said that Isabel Allende got the news that her one hundred year-old grandfather was dying. She started writing a letter to her grandfather. This very letter, eventually, became manuscript of The House of the Spirits.

The story covers the details of the four generations of the Trueba family. It also traces the post-colonial social and political changes and upheavals which the people of Chile experienced.

Esteban and Alba are the two main protagonists of the novel and the entire story is told from their perspectives. The story also includes elements of magical realism.

It is often suggested by several readers that The House of the Spirits is a roman a clef.

It is often suggested by readers and scholars that The Poet in the novel is probably Pablo Neruda. Likewise Allende’s cousin Salvador Allende is both The Candidate and The President.

It is a semi-biographical novel, based on the author’s personal experience. She weaves together the elements of myth and realism, at the same time paying homage to the lives of women.

Although English is a second language to Allende, she is fluent in it. Now she is an American citizen.

Chapter Two: Plot Overview

As the story opens, we are introduced to Clara and Rosa, the youngest and the oldest daughters of the del Valle family respectively. It transpires that Clara, the youngest daughter of the del Valle family, has some paranormal powers. She maintains a detailed diary of all that events that take place in her life.

Clara uses her paranormal powers and predicts that someone is going to die in the family. A short time after this prediction, Rosa, the beautiful, green-haired sister of Clara, is killed by poison. The poison was actually intended for her father who was running for the Senate.

After that incident Clara suddenly changes. She stumbles upon the autopsy of Clara. She begins to believe that her sister’s death resulted from her premonition. She stops speaking.

Esteban Trueba is Rosa’s fiancé. He is a poor minor. Rosa’s death leaves him devastated. His family happens to have their family hacienda (a large state in Spanish), Tres Marias. He is a broken-heart person now, but he devotes his life to uplifting the