70 pages • 2 hours read
Violeta
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Symbols & Motifs
Torito’s Cross
The wooden cross that Violeta carves for Torito is an important symbol in the book. She makes it for him on the very first birthday celebration he ever has, with each of their names engraved on either side. It becomes a cherished possession, with Torito always wearing it on his person, and immediately can be seen as a symbol of love and loyalty.
This is reinforced when it becomes the object that helps Violeta identify Torito as one of the deceased in the cave. Torito died in the process of helping Violeta’s son, Juan Martin, escape across national borders; he keeps his promise and gets Juan Martin to safety, but loses his life along the way. Thus, Violeta herself acknowledges how the wooden cross is a symbol of Torito’s love and loyalty, and in turn wears the cross on her person at all times henceforth, as a reminder of this.
Torito’s death also marks an important turning point in Violeta’s life, and thus the literal cross she finds heralds the metaphorical crossroads she faces. Besides directing her life’s purpose in a specific way, the moment also brings her a revelation about Julián’s true character, owing to his involvement in various nefarious activities, including possibly Torito’s death.
The cross also foreshadows the life path that Camilo, Violeta’s grandson, will take, as he eventually enters the seminary. This connection is further highlighted through Violeta bequeathing unto Camilo both the cross as well as a substantial amount of her money. She knows Camilo will distribute the latter among those who need it, through the charitable work he does as a priest.
Santa Clara
Santa Clara is mentioned in the Prologue of the book, as Violeta signs off her letter to Camilo from this location; it is an important symbol in the book. Although she was born in Camellia House, which is a family legacy through her paternal grandparents, Santa Clara is Violeta’s true home. She is forced to leave Camellia House and the city upon her father’s death and move to Santa Clara, owned and run by the Rivases. The rest of Violeta’s family views this as an exile, and the first part of the book is titled accordingly. However, by her own admission, Violeta’s time at Santa Clara is the most educational and enriching time of her life.
Santa Clara is where Violeta’s eyes are opened to multiple possibilities, through her dialogues with Josephine, Teresa, and the Rivases, and through the different ways of life she sees when she visits the Indigenous communities. Life at Santa Clara improves Violeta’s character and truly prepares her for the life she will lead. Despite the multiple places she lives throughout her lifetime, from Sacramento to the capital and even short stints in the US, Santa Clara remains her home base. The symbolism of home is further emphasized by how numerous important people in Violeta’s life are connected to Santa Clara, and that Santa Clara eventually becomes their resting place. She, too, retreats into the comfort of home at the farm in her last days, preparing to die and be laid to rest among those she loves.
Letter Writing
The act of writing letters is a recurring motif in the book. The story even opens with a letter, penned by Violeta to her grandson, explaining why she is recording her life story. Although the rest of the book is written narratively, there are multiple places in the story where Violeta directly addresses Camilo, foreshadowing events to come or offering retrospective wisdom. These instances maintain the book’s epistolary tone. The story spans an entire century and multiple world events; Violeta’s remarks throughout the narrative prevent the tone from being too epic or grand, allowing the reader to remain personally connected to and emotionally invested in the story.
Besides being used as a narrative technique, letter writing as a motif also points to the theme of Life as a Teacher. In the opening letter, Violeta notes how the record of her life is meant to replace the correspondence she maintained with Camilo while he was at the seminary. At that time, letter writing was a way for the grandmother and grandson to remain connected and continue nurturing their relationship. However, Violeta pens her story in the last couple of years of her life, when her physical health has deteriorated and she is finding space for thinking and remembering. Violeta’s recording of her life, thus, is an act of reflection on the various experiences she has had over the course of her life and the lessons she has learned from them.
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