My Name Is Emilia del Valle

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of graphic violence and death.

In My Name is Emilia del Valle, the titular character looks beyond upper-class society in Chile and sees how those most affected by the civil war are members of the lower economic classes. While the wealthy make many of the decisions about the war itself, Emilia seeks out the voices and stories of the working class as she reports on the war, revealing how the social and economic hierarchy in Chile—as in many places, such as the Mission District back home—continues to benefit only those at the top. With her exploration of this issue through Emilia’s journalism, Allende pushes readers to think critically about who ends up on the front lines in conflicts and how power is held in society.

In Emilia, Allende creates a character who can understand the motives of the soldiers and canteen girls around her because of her own lived experience. Because of her roots in the working-class Mission District, she can easily imagine “their humble homes so far away, their mothers leaning over the fire, the kiss of a girl, a friendly dog, a ball game” (146). She also understands her discovery that many people joined the armed forces to earn money, with the side benefit of being fed every day.