Marquez
One Hundred Years of Solitude
07/18/08 16:06 Categories: Literature and Film | Politics
Today I finished Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ One Hundred Years of Solitude. I’m still hesistant about the book. I enjoyed a great many parts of it, but I’m not sure I really understood it. There are a few interesting tidbits I noticed:
First, there is a theme in the book about the cyclic nature of history - or, we are doomed to repeat forgotten mistakes. Many of the characters are very similar to prior characters (the book follows 7 generations of the Buendia family), and repeat the same mistakes of their ancestors. These mistakes are repeated because no one has a relationship with each other where they reflect upon their mistakes and instruct children and grandchildren how to move past those issues. Implied is the idea that we will have similar characters as a our parents and grandparents and should glean what wisdom we can from them in order to live better lives.
Second, there is also a theme running though the book about the lack of trustworthiness of government. The point is not just the obvious truth that the government is not fully trustworthy, but that the government inherently requistions events and truth for its own gain. This is brought up in two significant ways. In the first half of the book, Col. Aureliano Buendia is a rebel general, who fights many battles but is eventually defeated. He is honored by the government and awarded medals, in order to innoculate him and create him into a puppet of the state. In the second half, one of the Buendias tries to organize a labor strike. The government kills all the dissenters and dumps them in the ocean, and manages to cover up the whole situation through the media. The larger point is that what people believe is the reality of a situation can be changed. Or, as it is said in Braveheart, “History is written by those who have hanged heroes” - or, history is written by those who survive.
Third, and this is what I found most compelling, is that the whole family line ends after 100 years (thus the title). It leaves on with a great many questions. The family leaves nothing behind - no heirlooms, no memories. There is even a scene towards the end where the famous Col. Aureliano Buendia is not remembered by anyone. So, Marquez is bringing questions to the floor: What constitutes a lasting change? What impact do we make, what impact can we make, what impact should we want to make in the world?
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