Two Words

Why does Belisa choose to make her living selling words? How does this role change the lives of others? Research the historical role played by storytellers in predominantly oral cultures and their role in community life.

The two secret words given to the Colonel are never revealed to the reader. Discuss the purpose and impact of this omission by the narrator. What do you think the words are?

Find examples of irony and humor in the story. Are they used to provoke emotional responses? What purpose do they serve in the narration?

Why does Belisa believe that the Colonel is the loneliest man in the world? Do other elements of the story support this idea?

What is Belisa’s motive for giving two secret words to the Colonel? Find evidence that indicates that she anticipates the effect these words will have on him.

How does the Colonel’s desire to forsake a path of violence relate to Isabel Allende’s personal experience of political upheaval?

Why does Allende choose to set the story in an unnamed country? Are there clues in the narration, such as descriptions of geography, that help you place the story in a specific country or region?

What provokes the desire El Mulato feels towards Belisa? Is it merely physical? Write a scene describing the day after her arrival.