“Two Words”
by Isabelle Allende
Echoes 11, 236-44
1. What is the significance of “the fly tracks scattered
across the page”? How do they change Belisa’s life?
How do they change the story of her country?
2. Identify phrases/lines that Allende uses to write a
“good” story. Include at least four examples of
hyberbole. Explain the effect of each example on
meaning/mood.
3. What line at the beginning of the story foreshadows
the power of the words on the Colonel’s life?
4. What are the motivating factors in Belisa’s life (her
motivation may change as the story progresses)?
What motivates the colonel?
5. What are the two words Belisa gives the Colonel?
Explain your idea. What effect do the words have on
him?
6. What does the story reveal about the impact of others
and their words on our lives?