Class Struggle Explored in House of the Spirits and Uncle Vanya

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The House of the Spirits and Uncle Vanya are two famous international literary works written within a century of each other. Despite the differences in time periods of which the two works were written, they both seem to convey the literary theme of class struggle between the poor lower class and the rich upper class elites. Both elaborate on the feelings of resentment and regret as a result of the hardships of life around them as demonstrated through hidden historical connections, literary devices such as parables and themes, and love reminiscences. Since the beginning of civilization, class struggle has existed not only as a result of economic conditions but societal conditions as well (Thirteen Notes on Class Struggle for Discussion). Many civilizations such as the ancient Romans have had a division of classes based on economic standing that affected how high or low one's position was in society. In the same manner, The House of the Spirits showcases the division between the poor lower class peasants, residents of Tres Marias, and the upper class elites, Esteban Trueba, known as the aristocracy. The division between the classes could be compared to the institution of American Slavery in which the upper class owned all the land, had all the wealth, and controlled everything concerning social and economic life while the slaves were uneducated, hungry, and did all the work on the land (Slavery in America). The quote, “Férula reminded him that on their mother's side they were heir to the noblest and most highborn surname of the viceroyalty of Lima. Trueba had simply been a regrettable accident in the life of Doña Ester, who was destined to marry someone of her own class, but she had fallen hopelessly in love with that good-for-not... ... middle of paper ... ...o be a message in literary works but can also be interpreted as a true event in society. It is a reality seen today that is not often peaceful due to the heavy burden of longstanding tradition and an unwillingness to adopt optimism as demonstrated in House of the Spirits. Owing to the unwillingness of the conservative patrons to accept change, bloody conflicts such as the military coup consisting of the killing of the Socialist president and the kidnapping, rape, and torture of Alba de Satigny often occurred. America today is believed to be drifting towards a society that is becoming dominated by a class-based system. There is no denying that there is a distinct separation between the upper, middle, lower, and downright poor classes in America. Unfortunately, it can only be hoped that individuals in reality learn from the messages that are presented in novels.

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