The Role of Alba as a Protagonist in the Book in the House of Spirits (Essay Sample)

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The role of Alba as a protagonist in the book in the house of spirits
Introduction
In the book “In the house of spirits” by Isabel Allende the author focuses on the relationship members of Trueba clan with regards to the society through three generations. As a result, the book focuses on various characters over the generations. Based on the events revolving around the respective society in the book, major characters in the book play a significant role in shaping the story’s plot. As a result, many characters in the book may be perceived to be the main protagonists in one way or another. However, based on the role of characters, themes, and character association in the book the following analysis aims to establish why Alba was the main protagonist of the book.
Discussion
The role of Alba in the novel the house of the spirits is established based on the narration in the book. Whereas the theme of the book is developed through highlighting the lives of people through generations, the events are unfolded to the reader through Alba’s narrative point of view (Smith 83). The book is divided into phases, which include the first phase prior to Alba’s birth, and the second phase, which took place after Alba’s birth. Despite the fact that the events in the first phase of the book involved individuals from the older generation, Alba relies on the oral narratives of her people to narrate the events from her own perspective (Smith 83). Therefore, the novel can be perceived to be Alba’s story, which makes her the main protagonist. Based on the events that took part prior to Alba’s and during her lifetime Alba takes charge of the situation and influences the structure of incidences in the book. In this case, Alba chooses to define the narrative time of the book the based on the future and present events. In this case, based on the narrative time Alba succeeds in distinguishing the events and characters of the past from her character in the in the current generation. This enables Alba to outline effectively her character as the protagonist through defining the significance of her role prior to her birth and after her birth. Therefore, without the involvement of Alba there would be no narration with regard to the Trueba people.
Link between Old and New Generation
Additionally, Alba’s role concerning defining the relationships between the characters in the story is critical. In the beginning of the novel, Clara who is one of the main characters in the book is introduced. Clara is perceived to be an extraordinary child because despite being the youngest child in her family she possesses exceptional imagination and (Shmoop University). When Alba is born, Clara is among the elders and the most respected members of the community. Additionally, Clara predicts that Alba will be a very special child in the Trueba clan and the entire community. Therefore, the old and respected members of the community already establish Alba’s role as an important child in the community. As a child Alba already attracted the admiration of the older people in the community. As a result, Alba formed the link between the people of the older generation and people from her generation. Moreover, Alba had a spiritual connection with her grandmother, which enabled her to communicate with her grandmother spiritually (Shmoop University). This was evident even after her grandmother’s death since she was the only person who could communicate with the spirits apart from her grandmother. Despite the fact that Alba was of tender age she could effectively relate with the older people in the generation and even have a positive influence over them. For instance, Alba was able to calm down her uncle Esteban Trueba who always held on to radical ideologies and was a temperamental figure.
The Role of Alba in Cultural Preservation of the Trueba clan
Prior to Alba’s acquisition of the ability to record the events of the clan, Alba’s grandmother was the sole record keeper of the clans records. However, as age was catching up with Clara the historical events and cultural transition based on the clans records was under threat. This was because no other individual in the clan had the ability to keep the records of the clan (Shmoop University). However, Alba had already learnt how to preserve the records of the clan, which enabled the continuity of the preservation of the clans. However, as Alba is captured during the turbulent political climate in the country no one in the society is in a position to tell the story of Trueba clan regardless of large volumes of records kept by the clan over the years (Cox 35). As a result, the cultural continuity of the clan becomes threatened during the coup that takes place in the country. Based on an impending cultural and political transition in the country it seemed inevitable that history was going to be retold by Esteban Garcia. However, Alba succeeds in collecting all the records that her clan had preserved over the years after her release. This in addition to her own records and personal accounts based on her life she manages to come up with the narration of the clan’s events over the generations. Additionally, Alba maintains the role of empowered women in the Trueban clan. Alba succeeds in playing a key figure in the society despite being a victim of sexual assault during her youthful days. Moreover, following her capture by Esteban Garcia She still achieves to act as a comforter as opposed to playing the victim as she stands by Esteban Trueba’s side during his death (Shmoop University).
Alba as a Catalyst for the Societal Transition in the Clan
The Trueba clan was a clan composed of wealthy individuals who lived a predominantly rural cultural life. In addition, the women in the society played a key figure in the preservation and safeguarding of the rural cultural lifestyle. With regards, to Alba she was born in a community where women were oppressed but still held the voice of reason in the community (Lisaliterarylife). This was a norm in the society whereby the elder women in the society taught people social values based on the traditional culture of the clan. Therefore, Alba slowly embraced this role of being a dignified woman within the Trueba clan. However contrary to the path followed by women in her role in the previous generations Alba sought formal education and enrolled in a University. Consequently, Alba embraced the modern lifestyle that was rarely practiced by women in her position in her clan (Cox 34). She began being actively involved in state politics in addition to upholding the traditional values of the clan. Moreover, she opposed to conform to the oppressive ideologies in the society unlike other female characters who suffered silently under the hands of oppressive male characters.
For instance, Alba’s mother was one of the female characters who highlighted the acceptance of male authoritarian rule in the society because she could stand her father’s harsh treatment. However, Alba through the help of Miguel was a liberated female character who fought to usher in a new social and political era (Cox 34). Contrary, to most of the women in her clan who grew up observing the traditional values of the community while enjoying living comfortably under the wealth of the clan, Alba chose to live differently. In this case, Alba also integrated the modern education in her life and embraced activities such as music and philosophy (Cox 35). In addition, Alba was the girl who came from a wealthy community to fight for the wealth of the poor children in the community. Therefore, Alba played the role of a protagonist who was at the forefront of the transition from a social life that involved wealthy and isolated individuals who relied solely on traditional values into a social life that involved interaction between people from different social classes under different ideologies.
Alba as the Symbol of Hope in the Society
In the epilogue, Alba soon ...