comfort accessible to only aristocrats and elitists. The communist victory, however, plans to provide that opportunity to them in the future. “ . . . in the end, the fox always eats the hens” (192, Ch 6)This serves to reinforce Clara’s premonition that the party that always wins will continue to win and follows a symbolic riddle that was introduced by Pedro Garcia to his grandson about a fox and hens. The story is supposed to resemble the ideological battle of socialism and conservatism. “I slept badly and dreamt again of Rosa.” (203, Ch 6)Esteban’s fantasizing is often found in low points in his career or social life. They represent his true struggle for security of love in his love. The dreams are a symbol for his loneliness and desperation for compassion, which is either non existent or denied from those closest to him. It is hard for the reader to sympathize with this character however due to his violent outbursts and rampage. From this point of view, one can justify the pain his character endures as a result of his actions. “Amanda represented the essence of everything feminine and, since she was Nicolas’s girlfriend, of everything forbidden.” (222, Ch 7)Again, representation of love being separated by external forces is shown. Although Nicolas was Amanda’s boyfriend, her true lover was immediately found to be his brother Jaime. Their relationship was however denied by the respect Jaime possessed for his brother and for their relationship. It is also ironic that Nicolas proceeds to leave the country never to return and successfully leaving Amanda later in the book. This forces Amanda to loose twice by having been denied the relationship with either of the two men. Although, this relationship helps characterize Jaime being the more responsible and compassionate of the two brothers as he proceeds to risk his medical career for the sake of his brother and Amanda’s fut...
