62 pages • 2 hours read
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Zarité Sedella, also known as Tété, is the novel’s protagonist. Born to an enslaved African woman who was impregnated by a European enslaver, Tété grows up in a society where slavery is the norm. Nonetheless, she cherishes the thought of freedom from a young age, as her childhood attempts to run away from Madame Delphine indicate. Her experiences intimately reflect the theme of Violence as a Result of Imbalanced Power Dynamics, with her rich internal monologues often marking the extent of the damage caused by the injustice and cruelty of those hoarding power. As lady’s maid to Eugenia, Tété reveals herself to be a quick learner with a sensitive heart, as she comes to genuinely care for Eugenia, as well as her son, Maurice. Early on, Dr. Parmentier is impressed with Tété, noting that the young woman “radiated a powerful energy” (86). Tété also quickly gains the trust of Valmorain. Through years of sexual abuse and other hardships, Tété never loses sight of her goal: freedom for herself and her children. Unwilling to take the former without the latter, which indicates her role in the theme of The Responsibilities of Parenthood, Tété gives up the most passionate relationship of her life.
Plus, gain access to 8,600+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
By Isabel Allende
Colonialism & Postcolonialism
View Collection
Hispanic & Latinx American Literature
View Collection
Historical Fiction
View Collection
Magical Realism
View Collection
Romance
View Collection
Spanish Literature
View Collection
The Past
View Collection
Valentine's Day Reads: The Theme of Love
View Collection
Women's Studies
View Collection