Motifs+and+Symbols

· Pg 6: Nivea’s corset snaps · Therefore: patriarchal / male dominated society · Nivea’s political ambitions had to wait till husband won a seat in the congress…(pg 3) · Snapping of the corset symbolizes Nivea’s attempt to break through the accepted norms of the society. · Brings out her role as a feminist and a believer in the emancipation of women.
 * THE CORSET: **

Church is said to be ‘oppressively hot’. · Dominating role of religion in society…Severo…inspite of being an atheist was forced to attend church if he wanted to grow to be a major political figure. · Could also be a reference to the heat of hell…Father Restrepo is seen continuously speaking about hell and bringing out the negative aspects of religion…this is not what Christianity is truly about…Macabre depiction of religion in those times..
 * HEAT AND COLD: **

Heat later used to signify comfort and happiness · Esteban Trueba claims to have ‘never had a hot bath’ and suffered a ‘childhood of cold’… (pg 21) · After Rosa’s death, the ‘fire in the fireplace is said to have gone out’... (pg 28) · On hearing about Rosa’s death, Esteban says he could feel the ‘freezing mist’ and ‘cold pierce his bones’… (pg 33) signifying the loneliness and sorrow he felt on losing his fiancée.
 * Contrast: **

· ** Relationship between Clara and Uncle Marcos: ** o Clara’s love for animals (both Barrabas and her uncle’s parrot) brings out the similarities between her and her Uncle Marcos. o Uncle Marcos was a symbol of rebellion and freedom…this perhaps shows that Clara herself would also be very different and peculiar both as a child and as an adult. o Further evident when the vets found it hard to determine Barrabas’ breed or pedigree
 * ANIMALS: **

· Description resembles an animal ...’Lion’s mane of hair’, ‘big bones’... (pg 41) · Resembles his nature · Violence…( kills dog…pg 51) · Sexual appetite... (‘Empty stomach’ – pg 21)… (‘his hard work was not enough to suppress his robust and sexual nature’…pg 55)… (‘Threw his arm around Pancha’s waist and swept her off the ground with an animal like grunt...pg 57)…. · Foreshadows his tyrannical behavior seen later when the people in Tres Marias are seen hiding their young daughters from him…’clenched their fists helplessly because they could not confront him’… ( pg 63) · Appears as though he was ‘sowing’ a string of bastards behind him yet wasn’t ‘reaping’ any of the consequences…could not account for his children or even bother enough to know how many he had.
 * Esteban Trueba: **

· Clara loved dogs… (Barrabas) contrast to Trueba’s violence…( kills dog…pg 51) · When Barrabas dies, Clara is seen weeping while ‘her fiancée could not comprehend such uproar over a dead dog…’…pg 91…brings out his uncaring and insensitive nature in contrast to Clara’s.
 * Differences between Clara and Esteban Trueba: **

From chapter 2 and 3 it is evident that Trueba and Barrabas are very similar indeed. · We see both of their sexual desires are prominent as it was said that “not a girl passed from puberty to adulthood that he did not subject to the woods, the riverbed or the wrought iron bed.’(pg 63) · Barrabas’ sexual activities also involved times when ‘he sniffed a bitch in his close environs.’ It was said that during such times, ’there was neither chain nor door that could hold him back.’(Pg 78) · Barrabas is said to hang over Clara as a shadow, this foreshadows the coming of Esteban Trueba as he is considered the dominating, arrogant and power hungry kind.
 * Similarities between Barrabas and Esteban Trueba: **


 * THE HOUSES: **

Esteban Trueba builds a ‘big house (for Clara) on the corner’ (pg 93). · It is ironic that being so materialistic he aspires to build a house ‘with an overall appearance of order and peace, beauty and civilization’. · This house which he builds with the desire to make it aesthetic turned out to be rather grotesque and macabre. This holds true because of the changes Clara made based on her ‘inspiration’ from the spirits due to which she added ‘twisted staircases that led to empty spaces, turrets, small windows that could not be opened, doors hanging in mid air, crooked hallways and portholes.’(pg 93) · This labyrinth like structure of the house could perhaps be compared to the structure of the book which is filled with deep convolutions and twists. The comparison between the house and the book is emphasised by the title "The house of spirits" refers to the book as a whole as well as the house on the corner as Clara's supernatural capabilities always keep the house above with spirits making it "The house of Spirits"
 * The house in the city: **

· The presence of ‘old’, heavy, and ‘ornate’ furniture present in the house signifies that it is part of Trueba’s inheritance and has been passed on from generation to generation. This brings out the family traditions.
 * The house in Tres Marias: **