FREE ESSAY ON HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS QUOTE JOURNAL

HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS QUOTE JOURNAL

" . . . it made no difference if they studied medicine or had the right to vote, because
they would not have the strength to do it, but she herself [Nivea] was not brave enough
to be among the first to give up the fashion." (6, Ch 1)
The women in this society are dependant on the dominant male figure to handle political
and economical duties. This point of view is intended to mimic the older generation of
women ad present a foundation for the growth of an enlightened generation. Allende uses
this excerpt to present a foundation of structure to the novel by beginning with the
extremes of opinion, which are followed in the novel through different generations. Alba
for example, become a very outspoken activist by trying to attend the student protests
and follow Miguel on his demonstrations, a sharp contrast to the indifference or
shallowness found in her great grandmother.
"It was the custom then for women and children not to attend funerals, which were
considered a male province." (34, Ch 1) Allende utilizes this quote to demonstrate a
beginning of plot development by showing elements of a patriarchal society and present
the past limitations of women as lower class members of this society. This point of view
also is seen from a narrator that exists in the future and is reflecting on past customs
and while doing so insinuates that this class limitation will go through change and
possible elimination during the course of the novel. It begins a structural approach of
presenting to the reader a metamorphosis of women's role in society through time. 
"I would never find another woman [Rosa] with her green hair and underwater beauty." (35,
Ch 1)
Green is the color the ocean and a symbol of blossoming and awakening while water is pure
and innocent. It has a middling quality and mediates between two extremes, or two
political standpoints (Socialism and Conservatism). Life ascends from red and blossoms in
green, a feminine color of childbearing, as is seen through the many generations of green
haired women. Green is a color of hope, strength and longevity, where Clara and Rosa's
hair help represent them as a very natural and bold feminine aspect of the book. Rosas
blossom between green leaves and the symbolic name of Rosa sets the organic tone of
femininity found within her sibling, Clara, also because she posses supernatural powers
of the clairvoyant. 
"I would like to have been born a man, so I could leave too . . . And I would not have
liked to be a women." (45, Ch 2) These two phrases are said by Ferula and her brother,
Esteban Trueba, in a bicker about the care for their mother. Ferula is stuck in a
position as a maternal figure, to care for the dying mother while Esteban's masculinity
allows him to enter the world carefree and to start a new life for himself. Free of the
chains of Ferula's obligation, her brother has the nerve to confess to her that he
understands that women are not given equal opportunity while disregarding her dilemma for
selfish purposes. His shallow point of view and strict desire for personal gain
characterize Esteban as a careless exploiter of the male favored society and set a trend
of irresponsibility that reoccurs in his disrespect for other lower class workers as
well. 
"This is a different country. Here the Conservative Party wins clearly and openly, and we
don't need a general to keep things orderly and calm, not like the neighboring
dictatorships . . ." (70, Ch 2) 
It is very ironic that Esteban is so oblivious to the opposing party and its power so
early in the novel. He has a false sense of security knowing that his political side will
always win the nation's elections and furthermore, that no dictator would take charge of
the country and destroy order. This characterization aids in explaining his shallowness
near the end of the book when unable to admit his own error in logic, he continues to
support the "conservative" revolution even though it becomes apparent to the rest of the
country that a military dictatorship has arisen. 
"She had already made up her mind to marry without love." (90, Ch 3)
Allende demonstrates the irony of Esteban's struggle for Clara's love throughout the
novel while Clara possess a clear indifference in attitude toward her lover from the
beginning. She does not marry Trueba from surrender of her emotions but rather out of a
premonition she receives about her destiny. This destiny may have been simply to bear
children into a position that has the ability to provide an influence in the society
around them. She wanted to marry someone with power and received a vision from the future
before her marriage that one day he would be able to provide her with this request. 
"Since when has a man not beaten his wife? . . . when everybody knows he is the one in
charge?" (106, Ch 4)
This grotesque comment made by the servants at the Tres Marias hacienda serves to
blatantly present the ideas of feminine insignificance within this arena of political
view. It is expressed even from the viewpoints of the servants, which represent a lower
sanding in their society. The significance in this quote can be found in the event when
Esteban finally gives in to his violent inner turmoil and slaps Clara to the ground,
effectively ending their already semi-legit relationship promptly. Her resistance shows
that her pride and dignity still stand and that her strength as a feminine character
outweighs the dominance of a physically stronger male figure. 
"Your body and soul will shrivel up and you will die like a dog!" (132, Ch 4)
A prediction made by Ferula, Esteban's sister, at the time of her eviction from the
Trueba household foreshadows the grim final years of Esteban's existence. These types of
premonitions and curses represent the magical aspect of the book and bring about
supernatural aspect of the feminist characters. Because magic is seen as a natural power,
its mystism is found within the female characters primarily to demonstrate their organic
qualities.
" Esteban Garcia. Who was destined to play a terrible role in the history of the family."
(140, Ch 4)
The prediction and characterization of Esteban Garcia's over domineering character
develop the plot by introducing his character and forcing the reader to wonder about what
conflicts he will present to the family or simply to Esteban Trueba in the future years.
His reappearances are then related to this quote in attempts to piece together his climb
to high military ranks and eventually to a placement with the ability of ruining the
Trueba household. 
"They looked at each other disconcertedly, feeling for the first in their lives that they
were practically strangers." (145, Ch 4) 
This excerpt is ironic in that it seems that every time they meet from here on out, they
always feel as if they are strangers. Because so much time passes often between their
meetings, their physical and ideological changes affect their standing relationship. The
quote goes deeper in defining the barrier between love found within the novel. These
lines highlight the idea of politics separating true love, which separates these lovers
for significant amounts of time, ruining a what could have been very happy marriage and
love life for many peaceful years. 
" . . . the stupidest things can be set to music. You'd be better off learning love
songs." (154, Ch 5) 
Significance is seen in the notion that Esteban accuses Pedro Tercero Garcia of playing
communist songs and therefore spreading the idea of socialism to the rest of the
community like an infection. What he doesn't realize is that first, Pedro Tercero
constructed these ideas himself and hence poses a larger problem than anticipated and
second, the village is already "infected" with the socialist disease, as he would refer
to it. 
"For the first time in her life she took charge of material things . . . for she could no
longer rely on her husband, on Ferula, or on Nana." (164, Ch 5)
The plot development is found taking place in this quote by advancing the ideas of
feminist seclusion found in the previous excerpts. The passage of time allows Clara the
chance to break free from some of her protective shells of masculinity. She gains the
opportunity to fend for herself and realize what it means to be self-dependant, an
important aspect in the struggle for women's independence. 
"She was a charitable and generous women, eager to make those around her happy- everyone
except me." (179, Ch 6)
The characterizations presented her show Clara to be a very generous woman capable of
infinite amounts of love and affection for others. The irony however is found in that her
desire to be with her husband has not simply expired, but has never truly been in
existence, from the time she stated that she had married without love. This is a very
torturous concept in Esteban's life, as he is obsessed with Clara's mind body and sole.
The more he desires to consume her, it seems the further she is driven to seclude herself
and find independence. 
" . . . the coming elections were their chance to shake off the yoke under which they had
always lived." (191, Ch 6)
This symbolism portrays socialism as a method of breaking free from the conservative
shell under which all lower class individuals live. They are not given the proper ability
to provide any time of self enterprise but instead are subjected to a vicious cycle of
debt and poor paying, manual labor intensive, jobs which turn out to be dead ends with no
types of employee benefits. The social echelon denies them access to the possibilities of
living in the levels of comfort accessible to only aristocrats and elitists. The
communist victory, however, plans to provide that opportunity to them in the future. 
" . . . in the end, the fox always eats the hens" (192, Ch 6)
This serves to reinforce Clara's premonition that the party that always wins will
continue to win and follows a symbolic riddle that was introduced by Pedro Garcia to his
grandson about a fox and hens. The story is supposed to resemble the ideological battle
of socialism and conservatism. 
"I slept badly and dreamt again of Rosa." (203, Ch 6)
Esteban's fantasizing is often found in low points in his career or social life. They
represent his true struggle for security of love in his love. The dreams are a symbol for
his loneliness and desperation for compassion, which is either non existent or denied
from those closest to him. It is hard for the reader to sympathize with this character
however due to his violent outbursts and rampage. From this point of view, one can
justify the pain his character endures as a result of his actions. 
"Amanda represented the essence of everything feminine and, since she was Nicolas's
girlfriend, of everything forbidden." (222, Ch 7)
Again, representation of love being separated by external forces is shown. Although
Nicolas was Amanda's boyfriend, her true lover was immediately found to be his brother
Jaime. Their relationship was however denied by the respect Jaime possessed for his
brother and for their relationship. It is also ironic that Nicolas proceeds to leave the
country never to return and successfully leaving Amanda later in the book. This forces
Amanda to loose twice by having been denied the relationship with either of the two men.
Although, this relationship helps characterize Jaime being the more responsible and
compassionate of the two brothers as he proceeds to risk his medical career for the sake
of his brother and Amanda's future well being by performing her abortion. 
" . . .as soon as the old man entered the room, the plant lowered its leaves and began to
exude a whitish fluid, like tears of milk, from its stem." (268, Ch 8)
An element of personification is found in these lines, which describes that plant's weep
for peace. It is given human characteristics by sobbing and sulking at the sight of
Esteban's temper. IT also provides a symbolic link to the nature motif found within the
women, who also are tortured by his temper. 
"Alba gave up the bay rum . . . which allowed the green to reappear in its full
leafiness." (269, Ch 8)
Leafiness is used as an adjective for Alba's hair in conjunction with the color green to
symbolize her aspects of nature. She is pure at heart and possesses some of the same
organic powers of clairvoyance as her grandmother. The leafiness presents green as a
symbol of the growth of vegetation and her natural propensity to care for others and
become everything opposite of what her grandfather's temper represents. 
"Before I had always felt like a giant next to her, but when I lay down next to her on
the bed I saw that we were almost the same size." (293, Ch 10)
The imagery presented in comparing physical size of Clara and her husband transcends to
another layer. This quote is found far enough down the time line for the book to begin
finding legit comparisons between the independence and self sufficiency of her husband's
male character and her own feminist one. Allende makes this comparison through the eyes
of Esteban so as to show his realization of Clara's powerful feminine character. Either
it has recently grown to a significant level, has accumulated unnoticeably over the
years, or was always in existence. It is here represented physically with size.
"Miguel explained that the election was a joke and that whoever won, it would make no
difference because you would just be changing the needle on the same old syringe, and
that you cannot make a revolution at the ballot box but only with the people's blood."
(335, Ch 11)
Miguel's statement makes a harsh symbolic reference to the fact that the political feud
in this country requires blood and pain to please one group of people while another
suffers. He states that like a syringe, the political factions of the nation will still
bleed the countries strength to death and it makes not difference which party wins
because each will face a strong enough opposition to effectively reek a havoc of
destruction that will topple the existing well being of the nation. Miguel describes this
by stating that only people's blood or sacrifice can actually change anything, not the
election. 
"In a few hours the country had split into two irreconcilable groups . . . "(341, Ch 12)
This observation comes from an external point of view that describes the attitude and
tone of the country during the election crisis. It appeared as if families and friends
were even separated by the political disputes and that all the side taking has caused
such uproar in the political stability of the nation. This foreshadows the great crumble
of political standings in the nation and the governmental crisis to come. 
"Bread, circuses, and something to worship are all they need." (382, Ch 13)
Esteban Trueba makes this comment naively in response to a prospect of the ideas of
socialism. He denies their viability with the notion that the people of the country are
very simple living and only need the basics of life. His disrespect for other's way of
living and disconnection with the true feelings of the people of his country can
characterize him as a poor leader for the electorate of his country. Although he claims
to be fighting for the betterment of the nation and its stability, what can he possibly
know about its condition if he fails to recognize the struggles and problems of the
underclass majority of the population?
"He realized that all he really cared about was losing his granddaughter, because she was
his last link to life." (399, Ch 13)
The value he places on his granddaughter at this point in the story reflects that of the
scenario found earlier when Ferula was left to take care of his mother on her deathbed.
The reversal in character is found in that his once ambitious and powerful carefree
spirit is now left at the hands of his one caretaker. This is while his daughter, now
ambitious as he was at that time, is take hostage by the rogue government which
constructed itself underneath his nose, while he was supporting it, therefore, it can be
seen that ironically, his political obsession with conservatism led to his own
destruction of well being and power.