Eva Luna

In these chapters, Allende further develops the theme of Power and the Inevitability of Corruption. There is a second occurrence of political scandal and violent riots, followed by a façade of change and a return to the status quo. This repetition establishes a troubling pattern: Though the figureheads may change (as with the resignation of the Minister), power remains in the hands of the same type of people—men who are cruel, violent, and emotionless. While this political theater plays out, the country’s poor and marginalized citizens remain disenfranchised, and no meaningful social change is enacted. For this reason, Eva feels disconnected from politics and more concerned with the ins-and-outs of her daily life.

The raid of La Señora’s brothel puts the corruption of the government on full display. The police have been profiting off the brothel for years, taking bribes under the table and utilizing the services of La Señora’s workers. They have no real ideological objections to sex work, yet they stir up a moral panic and arrest Melesio on defamatory charges. Their actions echo the widespread political corruption in Venezuela, which was exacerbated by the discovery of petroleum and which persists to this day.

Through Rolf and Eva’s parallel narratives, Allende explores the ways that each character deals with the tragedies of their circumstances. Eva beautifies her reality by weaving stories full of magic and romance. Rolf suppresses his emotions and resolves to document harsh reality on film. Both actions are ways to make sense of a world which has dealt them a cruel hand. Eva and Rolf’s different coping mechanisms reflect the different ways in which men and women are socialized. Men are discouraged from showing emotions: As Eva notes in relation to Riad, “it is forbidden for a man to demonstrate his feelings or secret desires” (167). This reticence toward displaying emotion is shared by everyone, from Rolf to Naranjo to the country’s series of dictators, illustrating how the effects of a patriarchal society influence men of every station.

The village of La Colonia is an eerie utopia. Though Rolf enjoys his time there, Allende’s emphasis on the population’s homogenous racial makeup and inbreeding conjures shadows of Nazi propaganda from the recently-ended WWII. It is also a possible allusion to the historical phenomenon of former Nazi leaders fleeing to the South American continent to evade prosecution for war crimes. La Colonia appears charming but artificial, a “naïve dreamworld” isolated from the reality of South America. Rolf recognizes that he must experience the real world outside of this bubble.

Heading into Agua Santa in Chapter 5, Eva sees the Palace of the Poor for the first time. Once El Benefactor’s summer home, it has now been taken over by the needy and sunken into the jungle, where it “[became] invisible to the human eye” (156). Eva relates this anecdote, impossible by the standards of conventional physics, as a simple reality. By making the familiar alien and normalizing the fantastic, Allende blurs the line between reality and fiction. This interplay strengthens the theme of Reality and the Power of Storytelling.

In Chapter 6, Eva mentions, “I developed a tolerable image of my madrina and suppressed bad memories so I could remember my past as happy” (179). She uses storytelling to overwrite sad memories with pleasant ones, changing her reality so she can continue to live a happy life. Riad’s gift of writing lessons strengthens Eva’s talent and, consequently, her ability to shape the world with words.

Allende further explores gender and The Role of Women in South American Patriarchy through Eva’s time at the brothel, where she encounters other disenfranchised women. The brothel is run by La Señora, a practical and creative woman. Though La Señora has found success as a madam, her work is contingent on the sexual exploitation of young women, and Eva later realizes that “she did not have a happy life” (143). Options for women to earn money are few. Like other marginalized people, La Señora has found her own way to survive in an unforgiving world. Another important character is Melesio. Though Allende initially refers to Melesio’s character using he/him pronouns, Melesio is a transgender woman who is unable to complete a medical transition due to the socio-political climate of the unnamed country.

Despite their fraught circumstances, the inhabitants of Calle República have a close-knit and supportive community which allows them to survive. Eva’s stories aid in bringing the brothel’s inhabitants together, demonstrating another way in which storytelling is vital, particularly in oppressed communities.

Allende also unpacks gendered power structures through Riad and Zulema’s marriage. Zulema is pressured by family in Turkey into marrying Riad despite her misgivings, because their culture dictates that a woman can “always learn to love [her] husband, if [she] really [tries]” (165). This attitude is borne of a patriarchy which discourages women’s autonomy. Though Riad is a gentle man, he unquestionably holds the power in their relationship. His “position as husband [makes] him Zulema’s master” (167), and if she were to leave him, she would be destitute.

Zulema’s pursuit of the younger Kamal is dogged and arguably predatory, subverting the common trope of an older man pursuing a younger woman. However, their affair showcases the importance of allowing women agency over their bodies: Zulema only seems truly alive when she acts on her genuine desires.

So far in the novel Allende has focused mostly on broader misogyny, but the story of Eva’s madrina occurs at the intersection of racism and sexism known as misogynoir. Her stillborn baby is “a creature of two bloods” (119), with one Black head and one white head. Allende uses magical realism to create a literal manifestation of society’s racist distaste for people with diverse racial backgrounds. The vitriol Eva’s madrina is subjected to is doubly intense because she belongs to two identity groups that are considered inferior. She is harassed so brutally that she has her vagina sewn shut in shame, internalizing the belief that her sexual encounters are to blame for the baby’s birth defect.