What are the motifs in Paula by Isabel Allende?

Family is an important motif in the story. Amidst the narrator's recollections of personal growth, historical events, and cultural changes witnessed in her past are the detailed descriptions of the members of her family tree, with special emphasis on those who shaped her life and personality. Allende emphasizes the importance of family in her life over and over again, examining her own genetic and social heritage through the portraits of those that preceded her.