The House of the Spirits is a fictional story, but like most books, contain some factual information. Isabel Allende, the author, wrote a book where many of its elements greatly relate to her own life and to politics in Chile at that time. By entwining fact with fiction, she created this story of love, jealousy, hatred, and compassion.

          Isabel Allende was born in Lima, Peru in 1942 and eventually moved to Chile three years later (White). Her father, Tomas Allende, was the Chilean ambassador to Peru and had abandoned his family when Isabel was only a toddler. Her second cousin was the famous Salvador Allende, also known in the book as the “President” and good friend of Jaime. Salvador Allende was the first, democratically elected socialist in the world (Wallace).

Isabel has spent most of her childhood in Bolivia and Lebanon and it wasn’t until she moved back to her homeland, at the age of sixteen, that she learned to love and appreciate Chile (Wallace). Isabel had been brought up with the belief that the men were always the superiors of the household, but she didn’t believe this true and led her life with the opposite philosophy (Wallace). Isabel, who believed in woman rights herself, made this present in The House of the Spirits.  Nívea, Clara, and Blanca all showed strengths and signs that they would not let men dominate them. Clara would always put her husband in his place, despite the fact that he was stubborn and hated the idea of woman voting rights, which Nívea had greatly pursued. As for Blanca, she disliked and refused the idea of arranged marriages and stuck with her true lover, regardless of his lower-class ranking.

By the time Isabel had two children and a job as a journalist, in 1970, Salvador Allende became the Socialist President of Chile.  Before then, many people were convinced that change was in the air and the Socialists were finally going to win. People- like Alba, Miguel, and even Jaime- had a hunch leading towards a Revolution, and the switching of tables, before it even occurred (Allende 332). At that point, Chile was facing problem such as inflation, slow growth, and unequal income distribution. These challenges were fixed, to some degree, under the presidency of Salvador Allende.

Although there were advances due to this new government set in Chile, it had its disadvantages also. Most of the upper-class families had a hard time with the set-up of the Socialists’ ways. The Socialists believed in having all people of the same ranking, except for the government, which was in charge of everything. People who were never able to afford shoes before were now able to do such. However, they came to abuse their money, spending it on things of no importance. On the other side of the tracks, the wealth of the upper-class was not as it had been previously, which had obviously angered them. The system which Salvador Allende had supported had its errors.  Everyone was buying food, now that everyone was able to afford it, and most even came to buy more food than they needed. This caused a food shortage. Also at the time there was a strike, led by truck-owners, which only got worse with time (Wikipedia).

“[Esteban Trueba] was the first to declare in public that only a military coup could halt the advance of Marxism because people who had anxiously waited fifty years to be in power would not relinquish it because there was a chicken shortage” (Allende 349). In The House of the Spirits, it was Esteban who had been the first to publically announce something so honest and daring. However, in recorded history, it was Augusto Pinochet that had brought together a successful military coup against President Salvador Allende. It was known as the Chilean coup d'état of 1973.

On September 11, 1973, the Navy took over one of Chile’s most important seaports. Many televisions and radio stations were silenced by the Army and others were bombed by the Air Force (Wikipedia). They were all ganging up and rebelling against President Salvador Allende, who at that time had fleeted to his palace. Jaime, who in the book had been a close friend and doctor of the President, was called upon and asked to come see his dear friend at once. Sadly, this visit had cost him his life, as well as the life of the President.

In the story, Alba was taken by the political police for associating with the Socialists, where she had to endure much pain and suffering.  The author, Isabel, had to flee for safety after the death of her second cousin, with fear that she might have been put through the same suffering she described in her book (Wallace).

With the death of Socialism in Chile, Augusto Pinochet declared himself Supreme Chief of the Nation, and later made himself President. Under his ruling, a new Constitution was created, but also under his ruling thousands of innocent people were arrested then either executed, tortured, or disappeared (Encarta). Alba had been a victim of this and had to experience agony and rape. He had changed the government in a way that best benefited him and his power. Augusto Pinochet had completely taken away the powers of some government officials that held liberal opinions (Encarta). He was trying to shape the government in a way that fit him best, not really considering anyone else but himself. 

In his last years of life, Augusto Pinochet  was under house arrest and had many court hearings. He was finally being  punished for  all the illegal acts he had done, such as his illegal bank accounts, tax evasion, and arms deal. However,  Augusto was considered too ill to attend these hearings. But that didn't  get him out of being punished for his wrongdoing. In the last month of Pinochet's life, he came to admit, "History teaches you that dicatators never end up well" (Pinochet, 2006). Augusto Pinochet finally died of a heart attack on December 3, 2006. 

 Isabel Allende creatively blended facts and politics of Chile into the storyline of the eccentric del Valle and Trueba family. She made the women of the book tough and independent, just like herself and gave each character a unique, memorable personality. “[It is] a richly symbolic family saga by the niece of Chile’s assassinated President Salvador Allende. It is both an engrossing narrative and an impassioned testimony to the people of Chile” (Publisher’s Weekly).

  

Edits 

    The House of the Spirits is a fictional story, but like most books, contain some factual information. Isabel Allende, the author, wrote a book where many of its elements greatly relate to her own life and to politics in Chile at that time. By entwining fact with fiction, she created this story of love, jealousy, hatred, and compassion.

          Isabel Allende was born in Lima, Peru in 1942 and eventually moved to Chile three years later (White) is this a quote? . Her father, Tomas Allende, was the Chilean ambassador to Peru and had abandoned his family when Isabel was only a toddler. Her second cousin was the famous Salvador Allende, also known in the book as the "President" and good friend of Jaime. Salvador Allende was the first, democratically elected socialist in the world (Wallace) quote? .

Isabel has spent most of her childhood in Bolivia and Lebanon and it wasn't until she moved back to her homeland, at the age of sixteen, that she learned to love and appreciate Chile (Wallace). Isabel had been brought up with the belief that the men were always the superiors of the household, but she didn't believe this true and led her life with the opposite philosophy (Wallace). Isabel, who believed in woman rights herself, made this present in The House of the Spirits.  Nívea, Clara, and Blanca all showed strengths and signs that they would not let men dominate them. Clara would always put her husband in his place, despite the fact that he was stubborn and hated the idea of woman voting rights, which Nívea had greatly pursued. As for Blanca, she disliked and refused the idea of arranged marriages and stuck with her true lover, regardless of his lower-class ranking.

By the time Isabel had two children and a job as a journalist, in 1970, Salvador Allende became the Socialist President of Chile.   Before then, many people were convinced that change was in the air and the Socialists were finally going to win. People- like Alba, Miguel, and even Jaime- had a hunch leading towards a Revolution, and the switching of tables, before it even occurred (Allende 332). At that point, Chile was facing problem s such as inflation, slow growth, and unequal income distribution. These challenges were fixed, to some degree, under the presidency of Salvador Allende.

Although there were advances due to this new government set in Chile, it had its disadvantages also. Most of the upper-class families had a hard time with the set-up of the Socialists' ways. The Socialists believed in having all people of the same ranking, except for the government, which was in charge of everything. People who were never able to afford shoes before were now able to do such. However, they came to abuse their money, spending it on things of no importance. On the other side of the tracks, the wealth of the upper-class was not as it had been previously, which had obviously angered them. The system which Salvador Allende had supported had its errors.  Everyone was buying food, now that everyone was able to afford it, and most even came to buy more food than they needed. This caused a food shortage. Also at the time there was a strike, led by truck-owners, which only got worse with time (Wikipedia).

"[Esteban Trueba] was the first to declare in public that only a military coup could halt the advance of Marxism because people who had anxiously waited fifty years to be in power would not relinquish it because there was a chicken shortage" (Allende 349). In The House of the Spirits, it was Esteban who had been the first to publically announce something so honest and daring. However, in recorded history, it was Augusto Pinochet that had brought together a successful military coup against President Salvador Allende. It was known as the Chilean coup d'état of 1973.

On September 11, 1973, the Navy took over one of Chile's most important seaports. Many televisions and radio stations were silenced by the Army and others were bombed by the Air Force (Wikipedia). They were all ganging up and rebelling against President Salvador Allende, who at that time had fleeted to his palace. Jaime, who in the book had been a close friend and doctor of the President, was called upon and asked to come see his dear friend at once. Sadly, this visit had cost him his life, as well as the life of the President.

In the story, Alba was taken by the political police for associating with the Socialists, where she had to endure much pain and suffering.  The author, Isabel, had to flee for safety after the death of her second cousin, with fear that she might have been put through the same suffering she described in her book (Wallace).

With the death of Socialism in Chile, Augusto Pinochet declared himself Supreme Chief of the Nation, and later made himself President. Under his ruling, a new Constitution was created, but also under his ruling thousands of innocent people were arrested then either executed, tortured, or disappeared ( Encarta). Alba had been a victim of this and had to experience agony and rape. He had changed the government in a way that best benefitted him and his power. Augusto Pinochet had completely taken away the powers of some government officials that held liberal opinions (Encarta). He was trying to shape the government in a way that fit him best, not really considering anyone else but himself.

Isabel Allende creatively blended facts and politics of Chile into the storyline of the eccentric del Valle and Trueba family. She made the women of the book tough and independent, just like herself and gave each character a unique, memorable personality. "[It is] a richly symbolic family saga by the niece of Chile's assassinated President Salvador Allende. It is both an engrossing narrative and an impassioned testimony to the people of Chile" (Publisher's Weekly).

Great Essay!
Umm the only thing is that you may want to put a little more focus on the similarities of the Pinochet's overthrow and the government in the book.
Bu fantastic job otherwise :)

The House of the Spirits  vs. Pinochet's Chile

 

            The House of the Spirits is a fictional story, but like most books, contain some factual information. Isabel Allende, the author, wrote a book where many of its elements greatly relate to her own life and to politics in Chile at that time. By entwining fact with fiction, she created this story of love, jealousy, hatred, and compassion.

          Isabel Allende was born in Lima, Peru in 1942 and eventually moved to Chile three years later (White). Her father, Tomas Allende, was the Chilean ambassador to Peru and had abandoned his family when Isabel was only a toddler. Her second cousin was the famous Salvador Allende, also known in the book as the “President” and good friend of Jaime. Salvador Allende was the first, democratically elected socialist in the world (Wallace).

Isabel has spent most of her childhood in Bolivia and Lebanon and it wasn’t until she moved back to her homeland, at the age of sixteen, that she learned to love and appreciate Chile (Wallace). Isabel had been brought up with the belief that the men were always the superiors of the household, but she didn’t believe this true and led her life with the opposite philosophy (Wallace). Isabel, who believed in woman rights herself, made this present in The House of the Spirits.  Nívea, Clara, and Blanca all showed strengths and signs that they would not let men dominate them. Clara would always put her husband in his place, despite the fact that he was stubborn and hated the idea of woman voting rights, which Nívea had greatly pursued. As for Blanca, she disliked and refused the idea of arranged marriages and stuck with her true lover, regardless of his lower-class ranking.

By the time Isabel had two children and a job as a journalist, in 1970, Salvador Allende became the Socialist President of Chile.  Before then, many people were convinced that change was in the air and the Socialists were finally going to win. People- like Alba, Miguel, and even Jaime- had a hunch leading towards a Revolution, and the switching of tables, before it even occurred (Allende 332). At that point, Chile was facing problem such as inflation, slow growth, and unequal income distribution. These challenges were fixed, to some degree, under the presidency of Salvador Allende.

Although there were advances due to this new government set in Chile, it had its disadvantages also. Most of the upper-class families had a hard time with the set-up of the Socialists’ ways. The Socialists believed in having all people of the same ranking, except for the government, which was in charge of everything. People who were never able to afford shoes before were now able to do such. However, they came to abuse their money, spending it on things of no importance. On the other side of the tracks, the wealth of the upper-class was not as it had been previously, which had obviously angered them. The system which Salvador Allende had supported had its errors.  Everyone was buying food, now that everyone was able to afford it, and most even came to buy more food than they needed. This caused a food shortage. Also at the time there was a strike, led by truck-owners, which only got worse with time (Wikipedia).

“[Esteban Trueba] was the first to declare in public that only a military coup could halt the advance of Marxism because people who had anxiously waited fifty years to be in power would not relinquish it because there was a chicken shortage” (Allende 349). In The House of the Spirits, it was Esteban who had been the first to publically announce something so honest and daring. However, in recorded history, it was Augusto Pinochet that had brought together a successful military coup against President Salvador Allende. It was known as the Chilean coup d'état of 1973.

On September 11, 1973, the Navy took over one of Chile’s most important seaports. Many televisions and radio stations were silenced by the Army and others were bombed by the Air Force (Wikipedia). They were all ganging up and rebelling against President Salvador Allende, who at that time had fleeted to his palace. Jaime, who in the book had been a close friend and doctor of the President, was called upon and asked to come see his dear friend at once. Sadly, this visit had cost him his life, as well as the life of the President.

In the story, Alba was taken by the political police for associating with the Socialists, where she had to endure much pain and suffering.  The author, Isabel, had to flee for safety after the death of her second cousin, with fear that she might have been put through the same suffering she described in her book (Wallace).

With the death of Socialism in Chile, Augusto Pinochet declared himself Supreme Chief of the Nation, and later made himself President. Under his ruling, a new Constitution was created, but also under his ruling thousands of innocent people were arrested then either executed, tortured, or disappeared (Encarta). Alba had been a victim of this and had to experience agony and rape. He had changed the government in a way that best benefited him and his power. Augusto Pinochet had completely taken away the powers of some government officials that held liberal opinions (Encarta). He was trying to shape the government in a way that fit him best, not really considering anyone else but himself.

Isabel Allende creatively blended facts and politics of Chile into the storyline of the eccentric del Valle and Trueba family. She made the women of the book tough and independent, just like herself and gave each character a unique, memorable personality. “[It is] a richly symbolic family saga by the niece of Chile’s assassinated President Salvador Allende. It is both an engrossing narrative and an impassioned testimony to the people of Chile” (Publisher’s Weekly).