Diary 5:Elaborates on the functions of Ferula, Nana, the Count and Esteban Garcia, using a compare and contrast format.The characters Ferula, Nana, the Count and Esteban Garcia , in the novel The House of the Spirits all have similar functions throughout the novel but express them in different ways. Ferula and Nana are more similar because they have maternal qualities and love taking care of others, while the Count and Esteban Garcia are clearly more similar to each other due to their chauvinist attitudes and the need to always have what they want. Ferula was Esteban Trueba's sister, she had spent her life taking care of her sick mother. Then after her mother died, she became very sick and bitter towards many things because she is used to taking care of someone else. After Esteban found out that their mother died, he brought Ferula to Clara and her house. There she took on most of the motherly duties, cooking, cleaning and giving advice. As time passed Clara and she became very close, so much so that they formed an unknown bond between them. Ferula has become obsessed with Clara to the point that Esteban kicks her out of the house for being too close to his wife. Férula gave off the impression that she wanted more from life than what it gave her but she didn't want it for herself, she liked not having much, which explains why she didn't accept the money Esteban sent her after he kicked her out. Ferula relied on helping others to get ahead. Nana was an Indian caretaker for the del Valle family at the beginning of the novel, then she became a caretaker of Trueba's house. Nana was a mother figure to Rosa and Clara and also to Severo del Valle after Rosa's death. He was an important member of the Del V......middle of paper......he wants Clara all to himself on board. Nana represents strength, because she has been through so much with both families that she has become stronger as they have become stronger and she has fed off their strengths and weaknesses. The Count represented selfishness, because he told many lies to Blanca trying to keep his room a secret. She only wanted the best for him, everything revolved around him and his dream. Esteban Garcia represented revenge, he was very vindictive throughout the novel. Even when it wasn't his revenge he sought, he took it from others. His way of seeking revenge was to repeat what had already happened in the past. Each of the characters has their own functions in the novel, some extend further into the novel than others, but each has a function that leads to the next one. It all came together at the end of the novel. The end is just the beginning.