Violeta

“She was tall, strong, and agile, with the authoritarian temperament of a colonel; she managed the household and saw to repairs, which were endless. She had a talent for mechanics, invented her own domestic appliances, and came up with ingenious ways to solve problems, which is why everyone said that God had made a mistake when he chose her gender.”

The passage describes Pilar, one of Violeta’s maternal aunts who raised her. Despite the traditional times in which Violeta is born, she is primed to eventually break out of stereotypical gender norms and expectations over the course of her life by having women like Pilar in her life, especially within the family. Despite Pilar’s non-feminine presentation and behavior, she remains a valued and important member of Violeta’s family, and shows Violeta that it is possible, as a woman, to lead a life without a husband.

“José Antonio talked to Miss Taylor about the danger to democracy posed by an authoritarian military leader of the kind that had plagued Latin America since the wars for independence.”

Josephine and José Antonio have numerous conversations around politics, and José Antonio’s assertion here is an important one. It displays how, despite their political affiliations, the Del Valle family, and José Antonio in particular, has an inherently progressive and democratic worldview. José Antonio displays such tendencies across the story, seen through how he seeks out Josephine for important advice regarding the family’s fate, or how he welcomes Violeta into his business and treats her fairly.

“That fairy tale that all humans are equal before the law and in the eyes of God is a lie, Camilo. I hope you don’t buy into it. Neither the law nor God treats everyone the same. That is especially obvious in this country.”

Violeta’s long life has led her to believe that people are not treated fairly anywhere. Numerous life experiences that she recounts over the course of the book explain this worldview, such as how someone like Julián does not end up getting as harsh a punishment as he deserves, or how someone like Torito meets the fate he ultimately does.