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The Candidate/the President
Clara’s sister, Severo and Nívea’s daughter, and Esteban Trueba’s first fiancé. Rosa is Severo and Nívea’s oldest daughter, and she is incredibly beautiful. She has a greenish tint to her hair and resembles a mermaid, and from the moment she is born, Nívea knows Rosa is “not of this world.” Rosa’s family refers to her as a “heavenly being,” and Nívea doesn’t make her learn domestic skills because she suspects that Rosa’s life will be short. Rosa is engaged to Esteban when she is just 16, but she doesn’t see him for two years while he goes to work in the northern mines. Early in the novel, Rosa comes down with a fever, and after drinking poisoned brandy meant for her father, Severo, she dies. Clara witnesses Dr. Cuevas’s assistant sexually assaulting Rosa’s dead body during the autopsy, which traumatizes her and prompts her to stop talking entirely for many years. Like Clara, Rosa is an example of the supernatural within the novel. Her mermaid-like qualities and angelic nature make her appear not entirely human, yet she is oblivious to the power and hold she has over others—especially Esteban, who deeply loves her.
Rosa del Valle Quotes in The House of the Spirits
The The House of the Spirits quotes below are all either spoken by Rosa del Valle or refer to Rosa del Valle. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 10
Quotes
When the project was complete, I came up against an unexpected obstacle: I was unable to transfer Rosa to the new tomb because the del Valle family objected. I tried to convince them, using every argument I could think of along with gifts and pressure, even bringing my political power to bear, but it was all in vain. My brothers-in-law were unyielding. I think they must have heard about Nívea’s head and were angry with me for having kept it in the basement all that time. In light of their obstinacy, I called Jaime in and told him to get ready to accompany me to the cemetery to steal Rosa’s body. He didn’t look surprised.
“If they won’t give her to us, we’ll have to take her by force,” I told him.
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Related Themes:
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Explanation and Analysis:
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Rosa del Valle Quotes in The House of the Spirits
The The House of the Spirits quotes below are all either spoken by Rosa del Valle or refer to Rosa del Valle. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 10
Quotes
When the project was complete, I came up against an unexpected obstacle: I was unable to transfer Rosa to the new tomb because the del Valle family objected. I tried to convince them, using every argument I could think of along with gifts and pressure, even bringing my political power to bear, but it was all in vain. My brothers-in-law were unyielding. I think they must have heard about Nívea’s head and were angry with me for having kept it in the basement all that time. In light of their obstinacy, I called Jaime in and told him to get ready to accompany me to the cemetery to steal Rosa’s body. He didn’t look surprised.
“If they won’t give her to us, we’ll have to take her by force,” I told him.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
