Final Journal on Paula

Isabel Allende splits this memoir "Paula" into two parts. The first part consists of her writing directly to and for her daughter Paula during the time between December 1991 to May 1992. The second part which is from May to December 1992, consists of Allende no longer writing to her daughter but about her daughter and her death, yet still focusing on her own memories.

Throughout the entire memoir, Allende writes of her ancestors, her childhood memories, her lovers, her emotions, and her pains over Paula. The book is titled Paula, not because it is about her and her memories, but it is for her in order to remember where she came from and who the people around her are when she wakes up from her coma. By knowing the memories and people who surround us, we can learn about ourselves and regain knowledge of who we are through their memories. We then can interpret who we are instead of having others tell us how we were as human beings. At the beginning of this memoir, I did not understand why Allende only wrote of her memories and stories and not of Paula's, but now I have realized that only we can tell our own memories, whether or not others believe them is their own choice.

I really enjoyed reading this memoir because it read like a novel. The entire time I spent reading it, I could not believe that it was real and of real events because Allende is able to make her memories so clear and descriptive as though not even one single little detail had been left out. Even I have difficulty remembering complete details of my favorite past occurrences. As I was reading this memoir, I realized that I have been and am still stuck in my own world and that I need to travel to new places in order to open my mind and learn about them like Allende has. She has gone through so many things that it just seems unreal for being only one person.