The ending of the book was predictable. Everyone who was still alive died in solitude. In the end, Aureliano was the only one to figure out the curse of the people of Macondo, and only through the prophecy of Melquiades. Everything starts dissipating with the occurrence of ants, who enter the house. Santa Sophia de la Piedad gives up on keeping them out. This is symbolic of how everyone gives up before they find a way to fix their problems, since no one is a critical thinker. Fernanda's things move. This isn't because of elves, but probably because she's going senile or something.
Amaranta Ursula seems to be smart since she went away to school and got straight As. She should have common sense, but she still falls in love with her cousin and has a child with him. This doesn't make sense at all. It also doesn't make sense when Gaston, Amaranta Ursula's husband doesn't do anything when he knows that his wife and Aureliano are sleeping together. This shows the non-existentialist characteristics of these people, yet again. Jose Arcadio, who also went away to school should have some social skills. He should know how to deal with Aureliano (who is a little bit crazy), but he is unkind to him. This shows that sometimes a formal education doesn't teach useful life skills.
The theme of cyclical history continues in the end, when Mr. Herbert is mentioned again, with his banana plantation. The ants are symbolic of the end of Macondo, since it's always detritus feeders and decomposers who come after a major death has come and there's a lot of detritus to eat. The tragic mistake of the first couple of Macondo is repeated by the last because they never were taught about their mistake.
The theme of a lack of how communication and isolation leads to ignorace and death is finally represented by the death of the last baby of Macondo. It didn't even get to live to have the chance to repeat the mistakes that everyone made before. The ability to learn from mistakes truly is a skill to be learned.
I think that Melquiades' prophesy is representative of an oracle's prophesy in Greek mythology. The oracle would tell the person their fate. It is interesting how the prophecy occurred before Aureliano could do anything about it, though. I think that Marques is trying to say that people need to figure out their faults by themselves. You can't wait for a prophecy to fix your life.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Active Reading for Chapters 18-20
The first occurrence of magical realism in these chapters was when Aureliano was talking to Melquiades. This is also an example of an apostrophe (since Melquiades is dead). The ants that take over represent detritus feeders. They are feeding on the dead town of Macondo and cleaning it up, since that is their job. Everything is moving on Fernanda. Also, Amaranta Ursula leads Gaston by a leash (characteristic of some marriages). Amaranta Ursuala and Aureliano's son has a pig's tail, making the curse come true...he was then eaten by ants. Since the ants were cleaning up, Aureliano (the baby) was obviously the last child of the dead Macondo. Aureliano was read the entire history of Macondo as Melquiades had written it. It was completely correct.
Jose Arcadio is greedy and kicks the children living in the house after he found Ursula's gold. However, he is then killed by the vengeful children in a bath.
Cyclical history continues when Amaranta Ursula and Aureliano, who cousins, fall in love and have a child. Because of Ursula and Jose Arcadio Buendia's first mistake of not listening to a good advice and being impulsive, then not warning their children, Amaranta Ursula and Aureliano have a child with a pig's tail. Amaranta Ursula dies in child birth.
Many people give up on their tasks, jobs or ambitions. For example, Santa Sophia de la Piedad gives up on keeping up the house and moves away.
Pilar Ternera died, and according to her wishes, she was burried in her rocking chair.
The main theme of how solitude leads to ignorance and death is repeated over and over. This is especially exemplefied with the death of Fernanda, when she just stays in the house, locked up, and doesn't tell anyone about her troubles, then dies.
"there was not much room for thinking about other people's happiness" (358). Because of the disconnectedness and isolation of all the people of Macondo, no one has good relations and therefore, no one can progress by working together to solve problems.
"Hello, cannibal," she said to him. "Back in your cave again?"(391). With isolation also comes misconceptions, and therefore ignorace.
"It was the history of the family, written by Melquiades, down to the most trivial details, one hundred years ahead of time" (415). Melquiades had written the entire history of the town. He knew that with the ignorance of its founders, JAB and Ursula, nothing good could come.
Jose Arcadio is greedy and kicks the children living in the house after he found Ursula's gold. However, he is then killed by the vengeful children in a bath.
Cyclical history continues when Amaranta Ursula and Aureliano, who cousins, fall in love and have a child. Because of Ursula and Jose Arcadio Buendia's first mistake of not listening to a good advice and being impulsive, then not warning their children, Amaranta Ursula and Aureliano have a child with a pig's tail. Amaranta Ursula dies in child birth.
Many people give up on their tasks, jobs or ambitions. For example, Santa Sophia de la Piedad gives up on keeping up the house and moves away.
Pilar Ternera died, and according to her wishes, she was burried in her rocking chair.
The main theme of how solitude leads to ignorance and death is repeated over and over. This is especially exemplefied with the death of Fernanda, when she just stays in the house, locked up, and doesn't tell anyone about her troubles, then dies.
"there was not much room for thinking about other people's happiness" (358). Because of the disconnectedness and isolation of all the people of Macondo, no one has good relations and therefore, no one can progress by working together to solve problems.
"Hello, cannibal," she said to him. "Back in your cave again?"(391). With isolation also comes misconceptions, and therefore ignorace.
"It was the history of the family, written by Melquiades, down to the most trivial details, one hundred years ahead of time" (415). Melquiades had written the entire history of the town. He knew that with the ignorance of its founders, JAB and Ursula, nothing good could come.
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