Magical Realism In Isabel Allende's The House Of The Spirits

In the realm of literature, magical realism is a genre that serves as a medium for an author to create a world that is not bound to the same reality as we are. While the foundation of the world is based on the same reality we live in, it is riddled with magical elements. The focus in magical realism novels is not on the supernatural elements, but the presence of said elements allows for a transcendence of ordinary human limitations which, in doing so, allows for a more extensive and nuanced view of the already complex themes we see in our world. In the case of Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits, we see Allende acknowledge and confront the patriarchal oppression that women faced and continue to face through the character Clara and her

Her abilities, which include clairvoyance and telekinesis (Allende 86), demonstrate a clear superiority to the characters around her and cement her as a very powerful force in the story. However, even with these extraordinary abilities, she is often still subjected to the same mistreatment that other women face. Especially in Clara’s childhood, her family largely ignores her powers and even shames her when she uses them. “It was true there had been times … when the saltcellar would suddenly begin to shake and move among the plates and goblets without any visible source of energy or sign of illusionist’s trick. Nívea would pull Clara’s braids and that would be enough to wake her daughter from her mad distraction and return the saltcellar to immobility” (Allende 8). Not only do Nívea and the other family members seem more or less unphased by

Amid a tense point in their relationship, where Clara refuses to speak to Esteban following him punching her so hard she lost a few teeth, his approaching her, whether it be due to his genuine love for her or whenever he wants to know the future, puts Clara at a position of power in their relationship. For example, when Esteban is running for mayor and his nervousness continues to grow, he could no longer stand Clara’s silent treatment and turned to her to calm himself down and make sure everything will turn out in his favor. “Do you think I’m going to win?’ Clara nodded again, and Trueba felt completely relieved, exactly as if she had given him a written guarantee. He gave a loud, joyous guffaw. Then he stood up, put his hands on her shoulders, and kissed her on the forehead. ‘You’re fantastic, Clara!’ he exclaimed” (Allende 251). Even when Esteban did approach Clara, she only replied with nods. This solidifies Clara’s release from the bonds of traditional female gender roles, with her not relying on Esteban for anything and withholding her love from him, and with him continuing to love her, crave her love, and rely on her clairvoyant