The House of the Spirits: Analysis of Structure, Time, and Space
VI. External Structure
The novel, “The House of the Spirits,” belongs to the narrative genre and consists of 14 chapters and an epilogue. The point of view is predominantly third-person omniscient. The narrator experiences all events—past, present, and future—and possesses deep psychological insight into the characters’ feelings, experiences, and concerns.
Esteban Trueba occasionally assumes the role of a first-person narrator, writing and narrating the story in his “book of life.” Blanca’s perspective is somewhat secondary, while Alba, Esteban Trueba’s granddaughter, represents a new generation of liberated and intellectual women. The narrative is presented as a compilation of Esteban Trueba’s writings, Clara’s diary entries, and Alba’s edits and annotations.
Due to the multiple authors, the point of view often shifts seamlessly. The story begins with a diary entry by young Clara on Holy Thursday, followed by a description of a midday Mass in an unnamed South American capital. A shocking incident at the church sets the tone for the rest of the novel.
The novel employs the literary technique of false authorship. The true story is recorded in notebooks—journals chronicling life—written by Clara. Almost fifty years later, Alba, the last woman in the family lineage, recovers these notebooks, which contain Clara’s account of the family’s history from her childhood until her death.
The story’s structure, initially characterized by loose causal links, eventually forms a cohesive chain.
VII. Internal Structure
The narrative’s internal structure consists of three prominent parts: an introduction, a central conflict (knot), and a resolution (outcome).
Introduction:
This encompasses the first chapter, introducing the main characters (Clara, Rosa, Severo del Valle, Nivea, Férula, and Esteban Trueba).Knot:
Beginning in the second chapter, this section follows Esteban Trueba’s journey to Tres Marias and mirrors the era of colonization. It highlights the authoritarianism and dictatorship of the landowner. Esteban Trueba’s abuses of power and injustice towards the peasants, particularly the rape of Pancha Garcia, ignite a series of events that tragically shape the characters’ destinies, leading to fatality, error, and ultimately, unhappiness.Outcome:
Following the military coup (Chapters XIII and XIV), Jaime is shot, Pedro escapes with Blanca, and Alba endures torture until Tránsito Soto helps Esteban rescue her.
Epilogue:
Alba retrieves Clara’s “life booklets” and begins to organize and read them, revealing a cyclical narrative structure. The story concludes with Esteban Trueba’s death, mirroring its opening: “Barrabás came to the family by sea.”
VIII. Space
“The House of the Spirits” features two contrasting spaces: the open, exterior space of the countryside (specifically Tres Marias, the Trueba hacienda) and the enclosed space of the corner house (the “house of spirits”).
Tres Marias, located in the southern part of an unnamed Latin American country, embodies tradition, violence, and myth. It represents an American identity rooted in the violence perpetuated by the landowner. The hacienda symbolizes the basic structure of Chilean society from the late sixteenth to the mid-twentieth century, shaping a particular “human kind.” It is the site of Esteban Trueba’s abuses of power and the emergence of communist ideals.
The corner house, Clara’s domain, serves as a haven for spiritualists, occultists, poets, and artists—a space for the marginalized and unconventional. The exterior space symbolizes freedom and even barbaric disorder. It is where passions are unleashed, where Esteban Trueba commits acts of violence, where Blanca experiences a passionate affair, and where Clara finds true happiness.
IX. Time
Internal Time:
The novel spans several generations, starting from the beginning of the 20th century until around 1973. This timeframe parallels Chile’s recent history, including its transgressions, repression, and dictatorships. The narrative highlights the passage of time through phrases like: “It’s been twenty years… now close to ninety,” and “young Clara wrote in her delicate calligraphy… fifty years later…”
The story follows four generations of women, with Blanca playing a secondary role and Alba representing the new generation of liberated and intellectual women. Time in “The House of the Spirits” signifies a journey from barbarism and slavery to a modernized society where women hold significant roles and conservative politics give way to liberal and socialist ideals.
External Time:
While the novel doesn’t explicitly state a chronological timeframe, it follows a linear progression, covering approximately ninety to one hundred years. The setting is suggested through the use of trains and horses for transportation, eventually transitioning to cars. Innovations like radio and television mark the passage of time, with references to events like the Gulf War and the moon landing.
The narrative alludes to significant historical events, such as the earthquake that profoundly impacts the family and the country’s long period of mourning. These references provide a historical context for the story’s events.