Broken Mirror: Character Analysis and Literary Style
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Analysis of Major Characters
In the novel Broken Mirror, numerous central characters shift in importance throughout the book's various parts. This evolution occurs because the story spans the life of a family across generations, where deaths are frequent throughout their history.
Key characters include: Teresa, El Salvador Valldaura, Eladi, and Sofia.
Teresa
Teresa is the character who lives the longest, appearing in the novel from the beginning until her death at the end. Throughout her life, she is involved with three men: Nicholas, El Salvador, and finally, Miquel Masdeu.
El Salvador Valldaura
El Salvador Valldaura appears at the beginning of the novel. He meets Barbara and falls deeply in love with her; this explains his shocked state when Barbara commits suicide. Later, he meets Teresa and develops a deep affection for her, though he always keeps a corner of his heart for Barbara. El Salvador has a daughter, Sofia, but he dies before witnessing her wedding to the shopkeeper, Eladi.
Sofia
Sofia is one of the most important characters in the novel. She marries Eladi and has two children: Ramonet and James. Tragically, James is murdered by his siblings, Ramonet and Maria. At the end of the story, Sofia moves to France following the death of her mother, Teresa.
Eladi Farriols
Eladi Farriols is a man who works at a clothing store in Barcelona. He meets a woman named Pilar Segura, with whom he has a daughter, Maria, who later dies by suicide. At the store, he meets Sofia and eventually marries her, having two more children. Unfortunately, he dies a few years later.
Secondary Characters
The story features numerous secondary characters, including those who pass through the home of Teresa Riera, such as the notary and the cook, Armanda (who eventually inherits Teresa's house), and Miquel Masdeu.
Style
Broken Mirror belongs to the narrative genre, reflecting the lives of a wealthy family. It is a 20th-century novel designed primarily to entertain the reader, without an underlying message or intent to indoctrinate. The lexicon used by the author, Mercè Rodoreda, is simple, clear, and precise.