The Stories of Eva Luna by Isabel Allende
Uploaded by SamSkillz on Feb 22, 2004
A Universal Theme in The Stories of Eva Luna, by Isabel Allende
The Stories of Eva Luna, by Isabel Allende is a compilation of many short stories focusing on universal themes centering on human emotions. “Gift for a Sweetheart” is one of these stories which is about a man named Horacio Fortunato who falls desperately in love with a married woman named Patricia Zimmerman. He overcomes many defeats of both the monetary and emotional kind and through perseverance, he finally gains an audience by his true love. Perseverance eventually leads to fulfillment of a goal.
Throughout the three Fortunato generations, there was the desired result of a successful circus. The first Fortunato persevered through "times of catastrophe and turmoil (105)" and "for years Horacio's grandfather bore the sole responsibility for the spectacle (105)." His desire to save and maintain his circus came to the point where he had to perform almost all of the acts. However, he "managed somehow to survive bad times…while many other circuses succumbed [and were thus] obliterated…(106)." The first Fortunato's desire to keep his circus buoyant left him to persevere through all the hard time and come out stronger.
The first Fortunato’s son, Fortunato II, was left a "debt-free" enterprise. He too persevered with an "unshakable prudence" and "under his direction the circus grew in size and prestige until it was the largest in the nation. (105)" He made it so that the "enormous caravan no longer drifted aimlessly, as it had in his father's day, but steamed purposefully…(106)." The second Fortunato was able to make the circus a greater success. His father before him allowed him to do so through his perseverance and thus created a new, higher goal for his son to reach.
Horacio, the third Fortunato, "intended to be rich from the time he was a young boy (108). His goal was predetermined and he eventually "lived a good life." Individually each of the three Fortunato generations achieved his goal through perseverance, and together the three Fortunato generations led to the result of the greatest circus enterprise.
When Horacio saw Patricia Zimmerman he "…decided with absolute seriousness to steal this woman from her jeweler…(110)." Horacio kept his promise to himself by attempting in every way to win her affection. "That same night an extravagant bouquet of orchids was delivered to the Zimmerman residence." Although Patricia threw his first gift in the street and crushed Horacio's first hopes, he...