One Hundred Years of Solitude, Part II

One Hundred Years of Solitude frequents so much action yet so little changes and so little happens. As many of noted, the newer generations simply represent a carbon copy of the old (whom are tied by the same names) and thus the events are already predetermined and repeat themselves.

Mary and Nessa commented on the continued presence of Ursula throughout the book. In terms of her, it was noted that she has lived the longest of any family member even to the extent of becoming great-great grandmother. Having established such, it's evident that she provides the historical perspective to the book. She has been present through all Buendia tribulations and therefore can comment and analyze the trends and patterns that have developed throughout her 100 years. It is Ursula who seems to possess the richest understanding of her family line in spite of the fact that she's blind, (ironically).

The character Meme diverges slightly from the expected Buendia inheritance. Unlike many of the other characters in the book, especially the women, she does not make a conscious desicion to cloyster herself off into solitude. As Mary discussed, she suggests more of a shift into the contemporary, most closely resembling her enthusiastic father Aureliano Segundo. As Marquez himself wrote, "..unlike Amaranta, unlike all of them, Meme still did not reveal the solitary fate of the family and she seemed entirely in conformity with the world" (259). Whether or not it is accomplished consciously, she is still bound to the Buendia fate of solitude as her own love Mauricio Babilonia was shot and "ostracized as a chicken theif," (291), the implication being that the lovers did not remain together.

Many dissected women's roles within Macondo society and came to the conclusion that it was the women who harnessed most of the power. To provide further evidence to attest to this, I'd like to cite Petra Cotes. As the concubine of Aureliano Segundo, she overtly manipulated him for both material objects and for his affection. Marquez even noted that she was required to "reconquer the husband" (274), once his relationship with Meme was vitalized. Having said that, one could concede that not only do the women of Macondo seem to possess great authority but that they use their sexuality as a means to gain this power. Beyond Petra Cotes, Pilar Ternera, Remedios the Beauty, and even Amaranta exemplify this characteristic.

-Tzivia

August 23, 2008 2:53 PM