Glossary of Terms
clairvoyant: One with the ability to perceive things imperceptible to the normal human senses. Clairvoyancy is often referred to as a "sixth sense." As her name suggests, Clara is a clairoyant.
Communism: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines Communism as: "a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single, often authoritarian party holds power, claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people."
conservatism: The tendency to maintain the existing order or tradition rather than accept radical changes. In terms of politics, Esteban Trueba is a conservative.
crèche: A representation of the Nativity scene, traditionally with figurines. Blanca's unusual pottery crèches are a successful commodity.
hacienda: In Spanish, a large plantation or estate. Tres Marias is Esteban Trueba's hacienda, of which he is patrón.
Holy Thursday: The Thursday before Easter, which commemmorates the Last Supper. The novel begins on Holy Thursday when we find the del Valle family in church.
Lent: A period of forty weekdays that spans from Ash Wednesday until Easter. It is a time of fasting during which Christians express remorse for their sins in preparation for Easter.
Marxism: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines Marxism as: "The political and economic philosophy of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in which the concept of class struggle plays a central role in understanding society's allegedly inevitable development from bourgeois oppression under capitalism to a socialist and ultimately classless society." Esteban Trueba uses the term "Marxism" to refer to Communism, Socialism, and any other doctrine that opposes his own conservative views.
mongoloid: An antiquated term for a mentally disabled individual. Blanca starts a weekly pottery workshop for "mongoloids" as an act of charity.
patrón: The Spanish word for the master of a hacienda. Esteban Trueba is the patrón of Tres Marias.
Socialism: The American Heritage Dictionary defines Socialism as: "any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy."
suffragette: One involved in promoting a woman's right to vote.
ClassicNote on The House of the Spirits
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