Introduction
Isabel Allende is the author of the work “Dos Palabras,” which is based on the story of a woman and a man who fall in love with each other with the help of words. The genre of the work is magical realism, which adds elements of magic to reality. Allende’s work vividly demonstrates the gender differences, that is, in the feminine and masculine principles. Although the work’s main character is the girl Belisa, her love for the colonel reveals new facets of gender.
Character Analysis
Belisa, the work’s main character, lived a poor and unhappy life, working in the sale of words. Belisa and the Colonel develop a romantic connection through the power of words. The colonel is the personification of the masculine principle, which is demonstrated by the fact that he wants to leave the army, where he needed to eat snake soup and iguanas, and spend part of his life in difficult conditions. He is not as educated as Belisa and does not know how to read and write, despite being a strong man.
Belisa is the personification of the feminine principle: she is educated and very loving. Their attraction to each other is demonstrated by Belisa approaching the colonel to say two words: “Te Amo” (Allende 35). Magical realism accompanies the heroes throughout the work, as reflected, for example, in the fact that the El Mulatto thinks Belisa bewitched the colonel, but this is impossible since magic does not exist. In addition, the colonel ate iguanas and snake soup, which also shows the unreality of the situation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Isabel Allende, the author of the story “Dos Palabras,” wrote her work in the magical realism genre. The story clearly shows the gender difference, and readers can also get acquainted with the elements of magical realism. The work portrays the complex love between the main character, Belisa, and the colonel, set against a backdrop of magic and reality, making the work unique and profound.
Work Cited
Allende, Isabel. Dos Palabras. Web.