One problematic binary in The House of The Spirits is that of colonizer vs colonized. When Esteban trueba takes over as the Patron of Tres Marias, he rapes the peasant girls there who he is the "boss" of. Pedro segundo has a relationship with Esteban much like a relationship that a chief of an indian tribe would have with a conquistador. Pedro hates Esteban, but also carries a resentful feeling of admiration and respect for him. The peasantry of Tres Marias feel roughly the same way toward Esteban, and while Esteban continues to rape young peasant girls, and treat the workers poorly, it creates a mounting tension within Tres Marias. I am going out on a limb a little, but i think that this mounting tension at Tres Marias will climax in a large event, that greatly effects Esteban, and the peasants of Tres Marias.