Chile

By dschodt

  • Carlos Ibáñez del Campo

    Carlos Ibáñez del Campo became president of Chile after a landslide election (98% of the vote) in 1927. He faced virtually no opposition as the Liberals and Conservatives did not run, and his only opponent was the exiled communist Elías Lafertte.

  • Rosa the Beautiful

    Rosa dies after ingesting poisoned brandy intended for Severo del Valle of the Liberal Party. Rosa's death and the circumstances of her death are similar to the arrival of Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, who was elected President of Chile in 1927 with 98% of the vote, having ran against no traditional party members (Liberals, Conservatives). Given that elections are approaching in the novel, that political turmoil during this period was great, and that Rosa's death is significant to plot of the novel

  • Economic Crisis

    Following the crash of the Wall Street Exchange, Chile faced decline as they had been relying on the aid of the U.S. government. The Chilean economy was one of the hardest hit in the world because of their significant dependence on foreign aid.

  • Tres Marias

    Tres Marias was previously flourishing, much as the Chilean economy was with the aid of the U.S., and Esteban decides to go back to Tres Marias to revive the land. Upon return, he discovers peasants living there in poverty and the estate in ruins. This event is similar to the economic collapse of Chile in that the Chilean economy had become dependent on the U.S. and could not sustain itself.

  • Arturo Alessandri

    Arturo Alessandri was reelected in 1932 and began what many called aggressive reforms aimed at restoring the economy of Chile.

  • Tres Marias

    Esteban's successful revival of the Tres Marias estate is similar to the election of Arturo Alessandri, who had previously ruled Chile during periods of relative success and growth. Esteban works hard to restore Tres Marias, as Alessandri had done with his aggressive reform strategies. Esteban's revival of Tres Marias is a major part of the novel's plot.

  • Esteban and the rape of peasants

    Esteban had restored Tres Marias to its previous state, although Alessandri had not done so well with Chile's economy. Esteban had become patron and offered fairness to the peasants, much as Alessandri offered the people of Chile, but he soon broke the offer. Esteban began raping young girls of the peasants in Tres Marias, but consequences were not imposed because he had power over his trusting tenants. These significant events in the novel are similar to the Seguro Obrero Massacre.

  • Seguro Obrero massacre

    The Seguro Obrero massacre occured when the National Socialist Movement of Chile organized a coup d'état against the rule of Alessandri in hopes to replace him with the previous president Carlos Ibáñez del Campo. The members of the movement fired first and a fight ensued, but after they were disarmed, roughly 60 young people of the movement were lined against a wall and shot to death. It is rumored the Alessandri ordered the attacks although he said they themselves fought each other.

  • Pedro Aguirre Cerda

    Pedro Aguirre Cerda was elected President of Chile as a member of the Radical Party and with major support. Pedro Aguirre Cerda was elected by promises of bettering Chile's education.

  • Tres Marias and the people

    When Esteban began assisting the people of Tres Marias and bettering their lives. Although he is strict and is terrorizing the region with his sexual assaults, he has also dedicated himself to improving the health and education of the peasants. Much like Pedro Aguirre Cerda (though they were opposites in political philosophy), he gradually begins bettering the health and education of his previously impoverished peoples.

  • The Radical Party

    With the election of Pedro Cerda, the radical party of Chile had finally gained ground. The party continues to rule Chile for several years. The radical party was slowly gaining influence and support after years of military dictatorships and unconstitutional rulers.

  • Blanca's Birth

    The birth of Blanca, although not exactly paralleled chronologically, is a significant point in the plot of the novel. Blanca's birth is paralleled to the coming of the radical party because she was birthed from the old "system" (Esteban) and will have continued influence different from the previous systems. In her life her decisions will not please Esteban, just as the radicals infuriated some traditional political leaders.

  • Earthquake

    A major earthquake struck Chile in 1939 and had devastating results. However, it is considered a "fuel" to the industrialization of Chile because it caused Pedro Cerda to plan an ambitious industrialization process with the Production Development Corporation.

  • Earthquake at Tres Marias

    The earthquake at Tres Marias is well placed chronologically in coincidence with the earthquake in Chile. However, the earthquake at Tres Marias does not seem significant to the development of the plot.

  • Women gain the right to vote

    In 1949, women of Chile made a major accomplishment in a very traditional country by gaining the right to vote.

  • Esteban and Clara

    In roughly the same chronological period as women in Chile earned the right to vote, we see Esteban begin accepting the fact that Clara cannot be controlled by him. This "event" is not necessarily significant to the plot of the novel, unless we view it as a major turning point in Esteban's respect for Clara.

  • Pablo Neruda exile

    With the election of Gabriel González Videla, Pablo Neruda is forced into hiding and later exile in Argentina after a warrant was issued for his arrest under suspicion of being a communist.

  • Pedro Tercero Garcia

    Pedro Tercero Garcia was chased out of Tres Marias by Esteban, who in the process hacked off several fingers in an attempt to kill him. Pedro Tercero Garcia was forced from Tres Marias just as Pablo Neruda, the Poet, left Chile in exile for Argentina, although the events are slightly off chronologically. Pedro Tercero Garcia's leaving is significant to the plot in that it expressed the unmoved values of Esteban and the traditional way after Pedro Garcia impregnated Blanca.

  • Reelection of Carlos Ibáñez del Campo

    Carlos Ibáñez del Campo was reelected President in 1952. Carlos Ibáñez del Campo ran because he wanted to end the corrupt policies and actions of the radicals in Chile.

  • Esteban running for Senate

    Esteban is seen vigourously campaigning towards the end of the novel, and he is not campaigning simply to hold power. Esteban, much like Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, is ardant on ridding of the so called radicals (to Esteban it's communists). Estebans campaigning for the senate is not a significant part of the plot but is indeed a major series of events that effect the novel.

  • Salvador Allende elected

    Salvador Allende was elected president in 1970. Allende was a member of the Unidad Popular party of Chile, associated with Marxism.

  • Clara's death

    The death of Clara is well fitting both chronologically and symbolically. The death of Clara is representative of the take over by a Marxist leader in Chile. To Esteban, Clara's death seems to be the end of his life and values, much as the election of a Marxist would be a significant opposition to his traditional values.

  • Death of Pablo Neruda

    Pablo Neruda died of heart failure in a period of severe turmoil, as Pinochet and his coup d'état had gained momentum.

  • Coup d'état and death of the Poet

    The Poet, Pablo Neruda, passes away during a coup d'état in the novel as he did in real life in Chile during Pinochet's coup d'état. This is significant to the plot because it marked the end of freedom, a topic well discussed in the novel.