In the novel, ” Portrait in Sepia”, Allende aims to describe the complicated relationships between people in the society. The main focus however is on the main character, Aurora and her aristocratic grandmother, Paulina. This relationship changes a lot, from being extremely distant and un-natural to a very close and warm grandmother and grandchild bond. When they first meet, Aurora’s relationship with Paulina does not start off very well as there aren’t any close, intact feelings between them which grandparents are supposed to have with their grandchildren.
The appearance of Paulina affects their relationship already when Aurora first steps into her mansion on the hill. The Paulina she first sees appears to be noble and majestic. “Soon I was standing before a chair with gold medallions where Paulina del Valle was sitting, a queen on her throne. ” The term “queen” suggests the unreachable distance between the grandparent and grandchild. Also, Paulina is described as an outstanding figure, individual from the rest of the world. Beside her, the rest of the world disappeared. She had a beautiful voice, a great natural elegance, and white, even teeth, the effect of a perfect set of porcelain dentures” This description suggests that a great deal of respect is formed the first time Aurora meets her grandmother.
Lastly, Aurora must have been curious and probably terrified since she hasn’t seen anybody similar to Paulina before. “I had never seen a creature of such dimensions, perfectly matched to the size and sumptuousness of her mansion. It is undeniable that Aurora is horrified and fascinated when she first meets Paulina. This is because in contrast to her humble flat in Chinatown which is surrounded by prostitute dens and gambling stalls, her mansion up in the hills seems like a castle in fantasy.
In conclusion, we can say that their relationship does not begin very well as little Aurora seems to be frightened at first by the dimensions of the mansion and her grandmother. As time changes, Aurora softens her attitude towards Paulina and starts to rely on her. At midnight I was wakened by the nigh-mare of the children in black pajamas, and without thinking twice I flew to the legendary bed of Paulina del Valle, the way I’d climbed every morning into my grandfather’s bed to be pampered. ”
This proves that Aurora started to get close with Paulina and that trust is building up in their relationship. However, Paulina rejected her request, “I didn’t know that normal children never crossed the thresholds of their elders’ rooms, much less climbed their beds. ” Nevertheless, Aurora is a small girl and it would be difficult for her to change her ways. we{Aurora and her dog} must have been so pitiful that Paulina del Valle motioned for us to come. ” Therefore, it was obvious that it would be up to Paulina whether or not their relationship would get any further. From that point onwards, Aurora moved bit by bit towards Paulina, her grandmother.
A strong bond soon develops between Paulina and Aurora and this because Aurora was the closest family relative of Paulina and so they basically depends on each other as time passed. As mentioned earlier, Aurora’s demand of protection and close physical contact begins to grow but soon Paulina’s hopes and requirements also comes into shape. I would devote same numbers of hours to scholarly pursuits traditional in boys’ schools, because according to her it wasn’t mental ability I was lacking, just discipline. ”
This is enough to prove how the two were destined to cling onto each other for the rest of their lives. However, it soon became clear that as time passed, Aurora grew up and Paulina grew old. “she was suddenly diminished, aged, and fragile, and I kept patting her shoulder, understanding very little of what was going on. At this point, it is evident that Aurora had switched roles with Paulina and had taken up the responsibility of taking care of her grandmother. Soon Paulina was getting so old that she was diagnosed to be dying shortly. ”
“Be prepared Aurora, the end could come within a few months,” he {the doctor} told me. I couldn’t help crying. Paulina del Valle represented the only roots I had: without her I would be cast adrift” The word “cast adrift” suggests that Aurora’s life depends on Paulina and her death would cause her soul to leave her body. Therefore, she won’t be able to carry on with her normal life once Paulina is dead.
Also, this shows that Aurora has now grown into a mature character and that Paulina has shrivelled into an old woman who needs intensive care. Allende carefully weaves the lives of Aurora and Paulina together. However, although they experience different things in their lives, reference is made to both characters as they are equally important and occupy an equal share in the story. The story emphasises the changes in the different ways they (Paulina and Aurora) look at each other, from being a stranger to the incredible understanding they develop towards the end of the story.
