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Often authors use literary techniques in order to convey a message to their readers. Isabelle Allende in The House of the Spirits uses irony throughout the novel to develop the plot and describe various relationships between the characters. The novel begins and ends with the same line, “Barrabas came to use by sea.” (p.1) Barrabas is the beloved dog of the main character, Clara. When he first arrives with Uncle Marcos, he is an ugly, dirty “pile of bones” (p. 18) but Clara “…became the creature’s mother and she soon revived him,” (p.19) thus forging an irreplaceable bond between the two. On the day of her wedding, Barrabas is killed. Clara’s husband, Esteban Trueba turns the dog’s body into a rug in an effort to comfort his wife. Horrified, Clara faints at the sight of it.
Approximate Word count = 531 Approximate Pages = 2.1 (250 words per page double spaced)
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