A Long Petal of the Sea

Symbolizing hope, poetry always lifts the human spirit but is especially necessary in difficult times. Allende places a quotation from Chilean poet Pablo Neruda at the beginning of each chapter. Neruda is also a character in the story, chartering the Winnipeg to rescue the Spanish refugees and give them the hope of a new life. Victor will always remember that ship as one of hope. Later, Victor and Jordi Malone name their tavern after the ship. For Neruda, the immigrants themselves represent hope, as he trusts they will awaken Chile to its own injustices.

Neruda develops a friendship with Victor, as does Salvador Allende. The politics of these historical actors represents hope as well, as the vast majority of Chile’s citizens are euphoric when Allende comes to power. Neruda’s poetry praises ordinary Chileans and offers them hope of change in their beautiful homeland. Neruda is a Chilean hero, honored in life and death. Even the repressive Pinochet regime cannot prevent Chileans from publicly mourning him. In hard times, words of hope inspire.

Representative of culture, music brings people together and enables them to experience joy and connection. In the French concentration camps, the refugees make music. They sing the songs of the Republican revolution, which enables them to retain their humanity. A talented musician, Roser performs and teaches music throughout her life. Most notably, she performs on the Winnipeg, cheering up the refugees and bonding them together. Later in life, she teaches music in the Chilean shantytowns and uses her connections in Venezuela to get funding for a youth orchestra. Music speaks to the heart and gives people the inner strength to survive tough times. It awakens joy and hope.