Trauma and Narrative Therapy in The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

Literary works, particularly novels, serve as a form of psychotherapy, with psychologists often analyzing characters and their experiences within these works. Trauma, stemming from various psychological disturbances such as accidents, manifests as mental distress, stress, and a sense of insecurity. Judith Herman's narrative therapy theory suggests that trauma can lead to a dissociation from reality, causing individuals to forget or suppress memories. Recovery, according to Herman, involves narrating the trauma, accepting it, and reintegrating into normal life. This paper explores Isabel Allende's novel The House of the Spirits, which allegorically reflects a nation's turmoil through a family's history, through the lens of trauma and narrative therapy. It seeks to identify the traumas faced by the characters and their coping mechanisms. The novel demonstrates how storytelling and confronting trauma facilitate healing, portraying characters' journeys from anguish to liberation. The narrative depicts three stages of treatment—safety, remembrance, and mourning—culminating in the characters' return to normalcy.