


The supernatural is widely common in Latin American culture, such as their celebration of the Día de los Muertos. The ghosts, mummies, premonitions, floating people, crazed dreams, alien communication and other spectral facets add color and flavor. House of the Spirits would not have the same affect if Allende chose to stick to a normal, realistic plotline. The paranormal elements incorporated into the book accentuate the meaning behind the political and social representation. This statement connects with two key themes in the novel: the supernatural and politics. I think that Allende’s novel is a prime example of the magical realism genre as she intertwines imaginative elements into a realistic plot. I agree with Smith’s general statements when she refers to the novel itself, but I disagree when she discusses the gender disparity in historical reality.ġ) Claim: The House of the Spirits certainly represents the merging of “fact” and “fiction,” “testimony” and “fantasy.” Further, it posits an ideology that is both literary and political. circular narration to the idea of how men and women interpret history. Smith extrapolates the idea of the linear vs.

She compares the strict, linear character of Esteban to the circular, encompassing figure of Alba. She makes several assertions about the contrast between the gender roles in the plot. In her essay on the novel The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, Kathryn Smith highlights the strong presence of women and their influence on the narration and historical context of the story.
