discussion questions - house of the spirits by isabel allende
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1. Rosa dies early in the book. Her green hair and unearthly beauty is compared to mermaids. What symbolic meaning does she carry—and why, at the end, is her body still intact?
2. What differences mark Esteban Trueba and his sister Férula and the way they deal with their family's disgrace and the poverty of their childhood? Is Esteban more successful because he is more ambitious? Does this make him happy?
3. It is Transito Soto, the prostitute who eventually plays a key role in saving the Trueba family. Why do you think Allende chose a prostitute to portray this important role in the plot?
4. Examine the importance of destiny in The House of the Spirits. Does the novel as a whole favor the idea that the future is preplanned, or does it suggest that events are up to chance?
5. What was your favorite and least favorite parts of the House of Spirits?
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6. The House of Spirits spans many generations and introduces several characters throughout the novel. Do you think this was an effective literary choice and how does it impact the story?
7. Evaluate the significance of names in The House of the Spirits. What do characters' names tell us about their personalities and destinies? Some to consider: Nívea (snow,) Clara (light, clear), Blanca (white,) Alba (dawn,) Pedro Segundo (second)/Pedro Tercero (The third,) Esteban Trueba/Esteban García, Transito Soto. How many symbols can you find in these characters, and do they represent any of their human traits?
8. How do societal expectations of women's behavior affect female characters' ability to overcome hardships? Do the women of the novel conform to these expectations or challenge them?
9. What do you think about how Allende portrays men/women? What is the role of gender in the House of Spirits?
10. The patriarch Esteban Trueba builds the world as his family knows it – he raises a plantation out of the dirt, gives himself a place among the nation's mighty – but he also rapes, plunders, lies, bullies.
His bastard son begins as a pitiable creature but acquires despotic power through a police uniform. An eccentric uncle is vain, undependable, bizarre.
Do these characters have redeeming qualities?
11. What makes Pedro Tercero different from the other peasant farmers at Tres Marías? What motivates him to persevere in challenging the limitations of class structure?
12. Compare and contrast the characters of Jaime and Nicolas. What is their role in the story and how are they portrayed differently from the other men?
13. Who is your favorite character and why? Who is your least favorite character and why?
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14. Isabel Allende chose not to make the story clearly situated in a specific country and time despite depicting certain historical events. Do you think it added or detracted from the power of her story?
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15. How does the book's title work in relation to the book's contents? If you could give it a new title, what would it be?
16. What did you think of the writing? Are there any standout sentences?
17. Do you think this is a feminist novel, a political novel, a romance novel?
18. Would you want to read another book by Isabel Allende?