Recovering loss : the other side of history as depicted in Isabel Allende’s the house of the spirits

الملخص EN

This paper looks at the period of history from 1973 to 1990 in Chile as reflected in The House of the Spirits (1982) by Isabel Allende (1942- ).

Throughout the novel, the reader follows the lives, loves and treacheries as well as the social and political changes that occur in and around the Trueba family.

The novel clarifies the forces which have charted much of the region's history.

The paper tries to answer an important question; which is more truthful in recording the past, history or literature? It cannot be determined whether fiction is more honest than historical fact or history is more honest in recounting peoples' and countries' past.

It might be reasonable to assume that literature is more appealing, especially to those who find exploring history a dreary task.

However, both history and literature are essential, and both are crucial in understanding the world as it was at some point.

The main link between literature and history is that literature is usually used to validate and retell history.

The two are, therefore, complementary to each another.

The biggest difference between the two is that the former postulates itself as fact, while the latter is taken to be an artistic form.