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.