I liked these final chapters because they made the book full circle. Aureliano II is like the Aurelianos before him, isolated and reserved. The entire setting reflects on whats left of the Buendia family, the house is old and falling apart, and Macondo is deserted and poor. It is ironic that Jose Arcadio II comes home to inherit money but returns to a town in poverty and then meraciously finds Ursulas huge stash of gold. It was nice of him to share the gold but the people of Macondo are horrible.
I think it is kinda strange that Amaranta Ursula would choose her cousin over her husband. I think it is fitting that Aureliano III has a pigs tail because Ursula predicted that it would happen over a hundred years earlier and nobody listened. It is tragic that Amaranta Ursula died in child birth but it was her fault for not listening. Aureliano II is a very bad parent for allowing his son to be eaten by ants. But he is punished, the Buendia line is severed because of him and he destroys Macondo, ending the book.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Active Reading Blog Chapters 18-20
The last three chapters of One Hundred Years of Solitude is about downfall of Macondo. With the death of Frenanda, Aureliano II is the only Buendia left in Macondo. The town of Macondo is now deserted and poor, reflecting the Buendia family. Jose Arcadio II returns to Macondo along with Amaranta Ursula and her husband Gaston, after finishing thier education in Europe. Aureliano II spends most of his time in Melquiades room studing his odd writing. Melquiades appears in front of Aureliano and tells him that he will be able to read the writings after 100 years.
Aureliano II and Jose Arcadio II are good friends until Jose Arcadio II is killed after finds the statue full of gold under Ursulas bed. Although he tires to help the people of Macondo with the gold he is betrayed and killed by a mob of greedy children.After the death of Jose Arcadio II Aureliano II falls in love with Amarnata Ursula, his relative. She cheats on her husband Gaston while he is away and he never returns. Aureliano II makes friends with a bunch of odd scholars. They research Macondo and find no one remembers the Buendias. Soon after they leave Amaranta Ursula gives birth to a child with a pigs tail and dies. Aureliano forgets about his baby and leaves to drink with a hooker. When he returns the baby is covered by ants and he is the last Buendia. When is fianlly able to read Melquiades writing he finds that it is a complete history of the Beundia and reads up to the point of him reading Melquiades writings. He is then surrounded by winds that erase Macondo from memory. FIN
Aureliano II and Jose Arcadio II are good friends until Jose Arcadio II is killed after finds the statue full of gold under Ursulas bed. Although he tires to help the people of Macondo with the gold he is betrayed and killed by a mob of greedy children.After the death of Jose Arcadio II Aureliano II falls in love with Amarnata Ursula, his relative. She cheats on her husband Gaston while he is away and he never returns. Aureliano II makes friends with a bunch of odd scholars. They research Macondo and find no one remembers the Buendias. Soon after they leave Amaranta Ursula gives birth to a child with a pigs tail and dies. Aureliano forgets about his baby and leaves to drink with a hooker. When he returns the baby is covered by ants and he is the last Buendia. When is fianlly able to read Melquiades writing he finds that it is a complete history of the Beundia and reads up to the point of him reading Melquiades writings. He is then surrounded by winds that erase Macondo from memory. FIN
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Reflection chapters 14-17
These chapters are really depressing, they mark downfall of the Buendia famliy. With the loss of his animals Aureliano Segundo becomes poor with the rest of the family. Like in the Bible the great flood washed away all of Macondo's sins. The motif of isolation is emphaised once again. Aureliano II is locked away, Jose Arcadio Segundo hides from the army and Meme is send miles away from her famliy in a distant city.
The family is starting to die off. With the death of Amaranta, JAS and Aureliano the family is starting to weaken especially with Ursula bedridden. The condition of the Buendia house is a symbol of the deteriation of the family. Meme and Mauricio Babilonia represent the Archetype star crossed lovers, the paralysis of Mauricio and the removal of Meme is tragic. Macondo and the Buendia family will soon be forgotten.
The family is starting to die off. With the death of Amaranta, JAS and Aureliano the family is starting to weaken especially with Ursula bedridden. The condition of the Buendia house is a symbol of the deteriation of the family. Meme and Mauricio Babilonia represent the Archetype star crossed lovers, the paralysis of Mauricio and the removal of Meme is tragic. Macondo and the Buendia family will soon be forgotten.
Active Reading Blog Chapters 14-17
Chapter 14 is about Meme, Fernanda and Aureliano Segundo's daughter. Meme has a strong relationship with her father and detests her mother. She does many activities with Aureliano Segundo and is a very smart girl. She graduates from school and is quickly makes friends with the Americans from across the electrified fence. Her new friends introduce her to tennis and swimming so she qickly forgets about the clavichord the Fernanda makes her play. Meme eventually falls in love with Mauricio Babilonia. Fernanda refuses to accept him and locks Meme in her room. When Fernanda finds out that Mauricio has been sneaking into her room she hires a gaurd who shoots Mauricio in the spine paralyzing him. Fernanda sends Meme to the city where she was born, Meme becomes a mute.
In chapter 15 José Arcadio Segundo begins to protest the banana companies inhumane working conditions and starts a revolt. The companies representatives call for a diplomatic meeting. This meeting is a trap and the 3000 workers who arrive and slaughtered by soldiers with machine guns. Jose Arcadio survives and locks himself in Melquíades' room. At the same time Fernanda recieves Meme's illigitimate child and locks him in CAB's workshop repeating the motif of solitude. Jose Arcadio tries to tell the village of the massacre he witnessed but they don't remember.
It rains for five years after the massacre at the banana plantation. The symbol of the great flood brought upon by God to wash away the sins of man. It is the beginning of the end for Macondo. Aureliano Segundo's animals are killed in the flood and he becomes poor, the banana plantation is washed away as well, Macondo is in poverty. Ursula slowly begins to fade away but remains alive, her family struggles to provide for thier children, the Segundo twins finally pass away, at the exact same time. Thier bodies are confused and they are buried in each others graves. Meme's illigitimate son was named Aureliano II and was educated by Jose Arcadio before he passed.
In chapter 15 José Arcadio Segundo begins to protest the banana companies inhumane working conditions and starts a revolt. The companies representatives call for a diplomatic meeting. This meeting is a trap and the 3000 workers who arrive and slaughtered by soldiers with machine guns. Jose Arcadio survives and locks himself in Melquíades' room. At the same time Fernanda recieves Meme's illigitimate child and locks him in CAB's workshop repeating the motif of solitude. Jose Arcadio tries to tell the village of the massacre he witnessed but they don't remember.
It rains for five years after the massacre at the banana plantation. The symbol of the great flood brought upon by God to wash away the sins of man. It is the beginning of the end for Macondo. Aureliano Segundo's animals are killed in the flood and he becomes poor, the banana plantation is washed away as well, Macondo is in poverty. Ursula slowly begins to fade away but remains alive, her family struggles to provide for thier children, the Segundo twins finally pass away, at the exact same time. Thier bodies are confused and they are buried in each others graves. Meme's illigitimate son was named Aureliano II and was educated by Jose Arcadio before he passed.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Chapters 12-13 Reflection
Macondo is definately going downhill in these two chapters. Ursula is bind and CAB dies leaving the next generation to terrorize the family. Forigners like Mr. Brown crowd the Buendia home forcing CAB to hide in his workshop until his death. Macondo became a dangerous place because of all the shady people arriving on the train. The train is symbolizes evil because of all the bad things that came off of it. I think that Remedios is a total freak because of her odd habits and reminds me of Rebecca before she left. I think it was kinda funny that everyone that tries to get with her dies. She has and aura of karma that rubs off on anyone who touches her. I think Mr. Brown is ruining Macondo. His new town across the river ruins JAB's vision of equality for the people of his village. The fact that Mr.Brown builds a wall right next to JAB's grave reinforces this idea.
Ursula is the most outstanding member of the Buendia family because she takes care of everyone even when she is bind. I think it is amazing that she can use intuition and smell to find her way around. The theme of repitition is reinforced by this because she knows what everyone is doing because they do the same things every day. Amaranta is still lonely and makes a shroud that she weaves and unweaves every night which is an allusion to Odysseous' wife in the Odessy. Another funny section was when Aureliano Segundo has an eating conest with the elephant. I kinda wish he died because of the way he treats Fernanda who is much like Ursula when it comes to taking care of her famliy.
Ursula is the most outstanding member of the Buendia family because she takes care of everyone even when she is bind. I think it is amazing that she can use intuition and smell to find her way around. The theme of repitition is reinforced by this because she knows what everyone is doing because they do the same things every day. Amaranta is still lonely and makes a shroud that she weaves and unweaves every night which is an allusion to Odysseous' wife in the Odessy. Another funny section was when Aureliano Segundo has an eating conest with the elephant. I kinda wish he died because of the way he treats Fernanda who is much like Ursula when it comes to taking care of her famliy.
Chapters 12-13 Active Reading Blog
Chapter 12 is about the train and how in infulences the Buendia family. At first people are excited with the new technology and people that arrive in Macondo such as the phonograph and the movies. The new events like the arrivial of the circus is much like the gypsis that traveled to Macondo it the time of JAB's rain as patriarch. Unfortuneately for the original inhabitants of Macondo many forigners like Mr. Brown and hookers. Mr. Brown started a banna plantation and devided Macondo in two by building another town on the other side of the river. The other shady forigners littered the town and Macondo became a dangerous place. CAB decides to start a new war but not even Colonel Marquez would back him up. Soon after an unknown group of assassins kills all but one of his sons who had ashes on their heads. An unfortuneate event that proves the new dangerous nature of Macondo.
Chapter 13 is more about CAB, Ursula, and Remedios the Beauty. After unsucessfully trying to start a new war CAB locks himself into his workshop all day and night only leaving to pee on JAB's tree. He repeats the continuous cycle of making gold two goldfish every day until one day he goes out to take a leak and dies. Remedos contunues her carefree aditude by doing nothing all day by herself. She is so beautiful that she kills one man who falls through the roof and cracks his head, and then another who touches her and gets his lungs crushed by a horse. Ursula outlives CAB but is now completely blind. She dosen't tell anyone so they wont think she is useless. She continues to care for her famliy despite her handicap and uses the her intuition and the repetiveness of her families rutine to find her way around.
Chapter 13 is more about CAB, Ursula, and Remedios the Beauty. After unsucessfully trying to start a new war CAB locks himself into his workshop all day and night only leaving to pee on JAB's tree. He repeats the continuous cycle of making gold two goldfish every day until one day he goes out to take a leak and dies. Remedos contunues her carefree aditude by doing nothing all day by herself. She is so beautiful that she kills one man who falls through the roof and cracks his head, and then another who touches her and gets his lungs crushed by a horse. Ursula outlives CAB but is now completely blind. She dosen't tell anyone so they wont think she is useless. She continues to care for her famliy despite her handicap and uses the her intuition and the repetiveness of her families rutine to find her way around.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Chapters 7-11 Reflection
Chapters 7-11 shift from the first to the second, and all the way up to the fourth of the Buendía family. I cant believe that the colonel escaped from the firing squad. I thougt that he would die at the end of his flashback but insead Márquez surprised me with the arrival of José Arcadio and his shotgun. I was not surprised to read that the colonel continued his military campaign but I thought that his quick surrender was a bit out of character considering how many uprisings he had started. I thougt it was unfortuneate that José Arcadio Segundo died but it did serve him right for deserting the army and what he believed in.
My new least favorite charater is Fernanda. I don't like how she controls the Buendía family and how she seems to tear it apart. Fortuneately her children turned out alright and with the addition of the colonels 17 sons they connect the Macondo the the rest of the world.
My new least favorite charater is Fernanda. I don't like how she controls the Buendía family and how she seems to tear it apart. Fortuneately her children turned out alright and with the addition of the colonels 17 sons they connect the Macondo the the rest of the world.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Chapter 7-11 Active Reading Blog
In chapter 7 the book focuses on the origin of the colonel's flashback. He and his friend Colonel Gerineldo Márquez face the firing squad and face near certain doom. But at the last second by Jose Arcadio who aims his shotgun at the captian of the firing squad. Immediately after he is set free Colonel Aureliano Buendía launches a series of uprisings against the conservative party but is plagued by falure like his father. After many failed attempts the liberal party disowns the colonel but he is able to retake Macondo as a consolation. He eventually assumes command of Liberal forces but realizes that he is no longer fighting for his ideals, but for his own pride. Chapter 8 focouses on the odd relationship between Aureliano José and his aunt Amaranta.
After a breif period of intamacy Amaranta ends her relationship with her nephew and he leaves with his father on yet another military campaign. He desserts the army and returns only to be shot by a conservative soldier who was looking to kill his father. Shortly after Macondo is visited by Colonel Aureliano Buendía's 17 sons and then by the Colonel himself. With the arrival of Colonel Aureliano Buendía and the Liberal army the Conservatives are removed including the Colonel's friend and mayor of his hometown, José Raquél Moncada. He is shot via firing squad.
In chapter 9 Colonel Aureliano Buendía begins to forget how life was like when he was young, and before he entered the war. He eventually begins to fight against his own forces, the Liberal army, in order to end the war quickly. After ending the war the by making peace with the Conservatives he tries to shoot himself in the heart. He is unsuccessful and returns to Macondo to make little goldfish.
After a breif period of intamacy Amaranta ends her relationship with her nephew and he leaves with his father on yet another military campaign. He desserts the army and returns only to be shot by a conservative soldier who was looking to kill his father. Shortly after Macondo is visited by Colonel Aureliano Buendía's 17 sons and then by the Colonel himself. With the arrival of Colonel Aureliano Buendía and the Liberal army the Conservatives are removed including the Colonel's friend and mayor of his hometown, José Raquél Moncada. He is shot via firing squad.
In chapter 9 Colonel Aureliano Buendía begins to forget how life was like when he was young, and before he entered the war. He eventually begins to fight against his own forces, the Liberal army, in order to end the war quickly. After ending the war the by making peace with the Conservatives he tries to shoot himself in the heart. He is unsuccessful and returns to Macondo to make little goldfish.
Peace returns to Macondo and the story shifts to the life of Aureliano Segundo and his twin brother José Arcadio Segundo. Because they look alike, Aureliano and his brother decieve their family and community by exchanging identities, even to the point of sleeping with the same confused woman. Aureliano Segundo tends to isolate himself like his father, spending long amounts of time in Melquíades's room, and even seeing the shade of the gypsi himself. His brother José Arcadio is more like his uncle, who seeks adventure. Aureliano Segundo becomes extremely wealthy because he animals are exteremly furtile. He believes that his intimate reations with Petra Cotes is causing the prosperity. He throws many parties, sponsors his brothers wild ambitions and even marries while still sleeping with Petra Cotes.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Chapters 3-6 Reflection
I think chapters 3-6 were engaging, intertaining and kinda disgusting. I think JAB is a humorous character because of how he acts after going crazy. I think his odd nack for Latin that came out of the blue and his taunting of the priest was the highlight of these chapters. I also like reading about the progress of Macondo as a whole and Buendia family. Most of the new characters like Pietro Crespi and the magistrate are interesting but Rebecca is kinda strange because of her lust for mud and wite wash.
I am enjoying the book so far and im glad I can understand what is going on. It is tragic that characters like Melquíades and Remedios died but it couldnt be avoided. Melquiade's fate could not be avoided because of his old age, it was a time where he could not cheat death. Remedios was a good person. I thought it was very noble of her to adopt her husbands illigitimate child especially considering who the mother is.
I am enjoying the book so far and im glad I can understand what is going on. It is tragic that characters like Melquíades and Remedios died but it couldnt be avoided. Melquiade's fate could not be avoided because of his old age, it was a time where he could not cheat death. Remedios was a good person. I thought it was very noble of her to adopt her husbands illigitimate child especially considering who the mother is.
Active Reading Blog
Chapters 3 through 6 are about the growth and expansion of Macondo as well as the Buendia family. After the arivial of Amaranta, JAB's youngest child, a strange orphan appears outside of the Buendia home. The note that came with the child claimed that her parents are dead and she is a second cousin of Urusla. She is welcomed into the Buendia family with open arms and named Rebecca, after her desceased mother. Unknown to JAB and the rest of his family, Rebecca is infected with insomnia. She will eventually give the desease to the Buendia's and the rest of Macondo. Rebecca also has the disgusting habbit of eating dirt and wall chippings. She is temporaily cured of this habbit by Ursula but will eventually continue in times of nerviousness.
Another new arrival to the Buendia family is Jose Arcadio's illegitimate son, Arcadio the third. After being delivered by Pilar Ternera he is hastily taken in by Ursula and eventually becomes like a brother to both Rebecca and Amaranta.
During much of chapter 3 Macondo is suffering from the effects of insomnia. Because insomnia causes amnesia the entire village begins to forget the names of objects. To resolve this JAB begins to label all of his possessions, shortly after the entire villlage is covered in labels. The insomnia is finally cured when Melquíades the gypsey meraciously returns to the village. He gives JAB the antidote and the village returns to normal. After the insomnia epidemic Ursula realized that her family needed more room. She constructed large additions to her house to accomidate her family and decendants. Upon completion a government official by the name of Don Apolinar Moscote arrived in town and demanded that all houses be painted white. After a confrontation with JAB Don backed down but brought his family to the village. Aureliano falls in love with the magistrates daughter at the same time Rebecca false in love with an Italian paino maker. Unfortunately JAB hates Don and Amaranta is jealous of Rebecca. In the end Aureliano marries Dons daughter Remedios but Rebeccas marrage falters when she falls in love with Jose Arcadio. Because of this Pietro Crespi the piano maker tries to get with Amaranta but she denies him and he commits suecide. To make matters worse JAB goes insane, and Melquiades and Remedios die.
Another new arrival to the Buendia family is Jose Arcadio's illegitimate son, Arcadio the third. After being delivered by Pilar Ternera he is hastily taken in by Ursula and eventually becomes like a brother to both Rebecca and Amaranta.
During much of chapter 3 Macondo is suffering from the effects of insomnia. Because insomnia causes amnesia the entire village begins to forget the names of objects. To resolve this JAB begins to label all of his possessions, shortly after the entire villlage is covered in labels. The insomnia is finally cured when Melquíades the gypsey meraciously returns to the village. He gives JAB the antidote and the village returns to normal. After the insomnia epidemic Ursula realized that her family needed more room. She constructed large additions to her house to accomidate her family and decendants. Upon completion a government official by the name of Don Apolinar Moscote arrived in town and demanded that all houses be painted white. After a confrontation with JAB Don backed down but brought his family to the village. Aureliano falls in love with the magistrates daughter at the same time Rebecca false in love with an Italian paino maker. Unfortunately JAB hates Don and Amaranta is jealous of Rebecca. In the end Aureliano marries Dons daughter Remedios but Rebeccas marrage falters when she falls in love with Jose Arcadio. Because of this Pietro Crespi the piano maker tries to get with Amaranta but she denies him and he commits suecide. To make matters worse JAB goes insane, and Melquiades and Remedios die.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Reflection Chapters 1 & 2
I found the first two chapters to be interesting and intertaining. The continous falures of Jose, and the repition of his falures via his decendants is unfortuneate but a vital in contributing to the theme of repition that Marquez centered One Hundred Years of Solitude on. I think that Jose should concentrate on raising his family and appreciating the patience and hard work of his wife rather than focousing on his wild ambitions of mastering alchamy and science. I think Ursula is an extremely important unsung character in Marquz's epic because of her steadfast loyalty and dedication. I find it hard to beleive that she could stand by her husband after all the foolish things he attempted. She is also a loving parent, looking for her son for five months,(despite abandoning the rest of her family).
Another unforuneate twist to the book is the dissapearence of Jose II. Because he shared the same traits of his father he could have been the future matriarch of Macondo. If given the right direction he could have become a great political leader like his younger brother who bacame a military leader. I have come to enjoy the magical realism of the book and the mystical adventures that always follows the arival of the gypsies. Jose's misguided attempts to advance on the gypsies new technology is humorous but unfortuneate. I think the best proof of Jose's incompetence is when he left on an expidition to find civilization but only found a dirty ocean and when his wife found a town two days away on a unprepared hystarical search for her son.
Another unforuneate twist to the book is the dissapearence of Jose II. Because he shared the same traits of his father he could have been the future matriarch of Macondo. If given the right direction he could have become a great political leader like his younger brother who bacame a military leader. I have come to enjoy the magical realism of the book and the mystical adventures that always follows the arival of the gypsies. Jose's misguided attempts to advance on the gypsies new technology is humorous but unfortuneate. I think the best proof of Jose's incompetence is when he left on an expidition to find civilization but only found a dirty ocean and when his wife found a town two days away on a unprepared hystarical search for her son.
Active Reading Blog
In the epic, One hundred years of solitude several characters carry distinctive attributes that determines the outcome of the book. Characters such as Jose Arcadio Buendia and his decendents are are natural leaders and scholars who are intent on mastering science to improve their lives, but their mad obsessions lead them to to brink of insanity. Jose is the leader of a group of migrants who left civilization to start a new life. He would eventually found the prosperous town of Macondo in the middle of a desolate swamp.
Macondo is visited by gypsies who bring with them great and mysterious inventions from the outside world. Jose spent much of his life attempting to master inventions such as alchamy and would eventually influence his children with his passion for learning. The gypsies also made a large impact on Jose Arcadio Buenda's son Jose Arcadio II. After his love affair with Pilar Ternara, Jose Arcadio II leaves his family to join the gypsies in an attempt to escape from the responsibility of being a father.
Macondo is visited by gypsies who bring with them great and mysterious inventions from the outside world. Jose spent much of his life attempting to master inventions such as alchamy and would eventually influence his children with his passion for learning. The gypsies also made a large impact on Jose Arcadio Buenda's son Jose Arcadio II. After his love affair with Pilar Ternara, Jose Arcadio II leaves his family to join the gypsies in an attempt to escape from the responsibility of being a father.
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