Part 1, Pages 23 – 49 Summary

The author returns to the time in her early life when her mother and brothers first return to Santiago, Chile. They moved into one large bedroom in Tata's house. Isabel was enrolled in various schools. She was expelled from some due to her strong will and rebelled against any conformity demanded by the nuns. She was so petite that she was sent to various places for exercises and told to suspend herself upside down in hopes it would help her grow. Eventually at puberty, she reached five feet. While she was very young, her grandmother died. Tata was so distressed that the caged songbirds were released and all music and liveliness seemed to evaporate from the house. Even the nanny goat slipped out of the gate and it was killed by a passing cart. Isabel had already been made aware of...