Daughters Of Fortune

Total words: 1187

Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende is the story of a woman, Eliza Sommers, who in running away from home, and chasing love, discovers a new life along the way. In her travels Eliza meets many people who become prominent people in her life, molding her and shaping her as she meets them. Many of these figures are women like Eliza, and each plays a different role in Eliza's life. Miss Rose, a strong willed woman, raises Eliza as her own daughter, teaching her everything she knows as Eliza ages. Later in her journey, Eliza meets Joe Bonecrusher, who believes she is a man stuck in a woman's body. These three women are all dominant woman, who show that even in the 1800's women played a large role in society. Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende represents the independent women of mid-19th century America, making a life for themselves in a harsh environment where men are the dominating force.

Eliza Sommers, the main character, is a perfect example of a woman who does not let herself be limited by society's standards. Eliza is raised by Miss Rose and her brother Jeremy, left in their care by the two siblings' older brother, John. Even though Eliza is raised in a family where social class is everything, she is ready to take risks that could even bring shame upon her family. When she meets Joaquin Andieta, she instantly falls in love. She begins to sneak him into her house, so that they can share night after night together in one of the remote rooms of her family's estate. Not once does Eliza worry about her consequences, and the reputation she would give her family if she was ever caught. Soon after Eliza's lover leaves for California in search of gold, Eliza discovers that she is pregnant. Rather than sit and await his return as many women of this time would have, Eliza makes the decision to follow after him, and begins to search for passage to California. Without a word to her family, Eliza is snuck onto a ship that is set to sail, and departs in search of her lover. This is one of Eliza's many decisions that makes her the strong willed woman that she becomes in her journey.

When Eliza arrives in California, she immediately begins to make a life for herself. Disguising herself as a man, Eliza opens a new world of opportunities. She manages to escape the life of sex that many women were drawn to based on the money men paid just to see a woman. It is apparent that Eliza is determined to find her Joaquin as she begins to ask everywhere if anyone has heard of him. However as Joaquin's presence begins to fade, Eliza realizes that her search is beginning to lose its purpose. She begins to help her friend, Tao Chi'en with his medicinal practices, an opportunity that would have been very rare for women of her time. When Eliza leaves the place she and Tao call home, she still has no trouble finding work. She finds ways to make money like writing letters, cooking food, and playing piano. Some of her small odd jobs were things that only a man would typically have been able to do, however, because Eliza was disguised as a boy, she was able to be paid the wage of a male. In her travels Eliza never loses faith in herself and always finds a way to make it. In a bitter world where men are the governing sex, Eliza proves that females are capable of anything.

In her journey, Eliza begins to live with a traveling brothel owned by Joe Bonecrusher, an extremely outstanding female character in the story. Joe makes a name for herself by moving her caravan around California, with her prostitutes, providing many different services for men around the state. However, Joe also offers hospitality to a variety of people, not only her prostitutes which shows Joe's slight maternal side. Joe's place becomes a temporary home for Eliza, and she sees that there is much more to Joe Bonecrusher than being a pimp. Joe expresses affection for Eliza's alter-ego when she is thinking: "She was sure that the young pianist was homosexual and that was why she made room for him in her heart beside the young Indian." (Allende 332) Joe is a woman, who because of her difference is able to accept any type of person into her "home." In the wintertime, Joe's place becomes a makeshift hospital where anyone who is sick or even dying can come to be nourished. The way Joe extends her home to everyone else in need shows that Joe is truly a unique woman, and that her own differences in life have blessed her with immense generosity.

Like Joe Bonecrusher, Miss Rose offers her home to Eliza as she is growing up. She takes Eliza in as her own daughter, promising her brother that she will take good care of his child. Miss Rose takes a huge influence on Eliza's life, teaching her etiquette and how to be a proper lady. However Miss Rose has a whole different side to her with just as much willpower as Eliza. It is evident that Miss Rose believes men are simply pawns in women's hands when she says "All husbands are boring, John. No woman with an ounce of sense gets married to be entertained, she marries to be maintained." (Allende 83) Miss Rose obviously believes that man's purpose is to serve woman, rather than woman serving man. When Miss Rose is only a young woman in her teen years, she has a romantic experience with a Karl Bretzner, a Viennese tenor much older than herself. When her love is ended, Rose vows never to marry, and her heart stays with Karl. Miss Rose becomes an independent woman, partially because she has pushed men out of her life. Based upon her life experience, Miss Rose teaches Eliza how to manipulate men, and how to make them work for her. After Eliza runs away, Miss Rose is one of the few who never gives up hope. She remains confident that her "daughter" will return home to her eventually. Miss Rose may seem fragile, however, she has the strongest mind of any character, male or female.

Therefore, Daughter of Fortune, by Isabel Allende, represents the independent women of mid-19th century America, making a life for themselves in a harsh environment where men are the dominating force. Few women of the 1800's were able to live the way they wanted, but women like Eliza, Miss Rose, and Joe Bonecrusher prove that it was possible. In a rapidly changing world, women were granted more rights thanks to the efforts of determined women such as these three. They have no fear of taking risks, and let nothing get in their way. Their fortitude shows a strength that existed in many women of their age, but was rarely acted upon. With the courage of these three characters, and others like them, men were shown that the world has plenty of room for both genders to thrive.

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