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Background 

The House of the Spirits began as a letter that Allende wrote to her grandfather when she received the news that he was dying.  Her letter became the manuscript for the book, which was published in 1982.

This work follows four generations of the Trueba family as they live through the social and political upheavals of a Latin American country.  Many of the characters and situations from the novel are taken from real people from the time period, including Allende's family.  The novel, which incorporates elements of magical realism, explores the themes of post-colonialism and socialism, as well as the broader themes of family, love, revenge, and forgiveness.

Using this Site

 Follow the links on the right to explore the themes found in The House of the Spirits, and to find further suggestions within each theme for fiction, non-fiction, poetry, visual art, film or music.