Teacher Cited Page

www.waddo.net/Academic/100years.htm : Source one

This website gave us rough ideas of what ideas the book could inspire to make into lesson plans. It basically gave us rough ideas to go about teaching the subject matter provided from the book. It was not very helpful to giving us actual ideas to use for lesson plans, but it did help in what we should expect in doing the actual lesson plans.

The second source we used was http://www.teach-nology.com/

This source was actually very helpful. It gave us the means to makes the actual lesson plans and rubrics, giving us access to the materials we needed to make sufficient use of our project. It also provided unique rubrics for each different lesson we had planned that Incorporated different aspects of each individual project.

Attention Ms. Brown!!!!

Tiarra's page has the lesson plans and i have the rubircs!!!!

magical realism blog rubric

rubruc for skit

Rubric for debate

annotated bibliography

Carrillo, German D. “Lyrical Solitudes”. A Forum on Fiction, (1971), Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 187-189. JSTOR. , 27/2/2007. < http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0029
5132%28197124%294%3A2%3C187%3ALS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Y>

In this article, the author is giving an analytical analysis of the themes and events that happen in the book. It looks at the repetition of characteristics passed down from one generation to the next, as well themes of magical realism, death, etc. Although the article does not talk about repetition of time as a whole, it does talk about repetition in the aspect of the same traits and characteristics being inherited from one family member to the next. This article is, in fact, a great help to my theme of cyclical time. It is a great help because it gives examples and ideas that could be formatted to fit into my argument, even though they are not directly related to the actual topic of cyclical ( repetition of ) time, but an off shoot sub topic. I could, however, argue that by bringing into account the theme of cyclical time, and events that repeat themselves, the author could have supported the theory that misfortune and unwanted characteristics were passed down from generation to generation. The source did in fact help reinforce the theory that cyclical time does in fact drive the characters and themes of the book.

McMurray, George R. “Reality and Myth in Garcia Marquez’ Cien Anos de Soledad” . The Bulletin of the Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association. (Dec., 1969), Vol. 23, No. 4. (Dec., 1969), pp. 175-181. JSTOR,. 27/3/2007 <: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0035-7626%28196912%2923%3A4%3C175%3ARAMIGM%3E2.0.CO%3B2-J>
This article is indeed a help to the reader’s over all conception of the book, however not very much to the theme that I picked for my paper. It gives a good synopsis of how events play into major themes, such as death, solitude, and biblical aspects in the book. Although the article gives good insight to those themes it lacks in the theme I have picked, and that is the theme of cyclical time. It does, however, make mention to the issue of time briefly in random parts. When it does make mention of time, it is very vaguely and in regards to playing a role in one of the other major themes in the book. Although the article does not mention the theme that I picked directly it will be able to help me while writing my paper, by my mentioning how they could have made their point stronger by mentioning how the repetition of time affects the order of events of the book as well.

Dorfman, Ariel. “Someone Writes to the Future”. Transition. (1991), No. 52, pp 18-34, JSTOR. (3/29/07)

In this source the author talks about Gabriel Garcia Marquez uses time in his writings, analyising his work in a historical context as well as literary too. The author talks about Marquez uses the book to reflect the events that happened in his coutry’s history, his country of Columbia. This source was of great help to me, because in the examples that the bookt did give they were showing how time was constantly being repeated, and the Buendia’s were repeating many situations over and over again. In a way that it was not a help was because it talked about how Marque was constantly drawing on events that happened in his country. In other words, the article had a real historical tone through out whole of reading it.

[The following is the full text of a lecture delivered, in part, in Liberal Studies 402, on Tuesday, March 28, 1995, by Ian Johnston. This text is in the public domain, released May, 1999; the text was edited slightly on April 11, 2000] Used on (3/29/07), http://www.mala.bc.ca/~johnstoi/introser/marquez.HTM

This source is a speech given by a professor on the book One Hundred Years of Solitude. He covers all areas of the book in a very thorough way. The professor talks about all the themes of the book and the significance each plays in the book, and how it affects the story. This source helps me in the fact that it gives me more insight into how time plays a role in the story, but on the other hand it also hinders my attempt to prove that time is the most important factor driving the story. This source is portraying the message that all the themes are of equal importance, but it is also providing useful information to the topic of repetition of time.

Character Analysis

Character Analysis:

The character that I'll be analysing is Jose Arcadio Buendia. To me, Jose Arcadio Buendia's reasoning behind all his actions is simply powered by the fact that he is a dreamer. All of the hair brained schemes that he fell into, such as the magnet, going off trying to find the land, and many others is powered by his dreams and whimsical notions that there is actually more to life than just the physical, concrete world. I also believe that his wants and need to experience the more than concrete world are what drives his mind and soul to leave it before his body his ready to. He loses his mind, when he believes time has stopped and then he loses his sanity shortly there after. He is no longer apart of the physical world that his family is trapped in, but has moved on, even though his body is still stuck in this world. Jose Arcadio Buendia's behavior and thinking is driven by his dreaming and bigger than life thoughts, it can be told from the beginning from when he got involved in alchemy to the point where he lost sense of time and thought Monday kept repeating itself. Jose Arcadio Buendia, in the end, got his ultimate dream by leaving the concrete, physical world and journeying to a place where he could be free to dream.

Meaningful Passage

Meaningful Passage:

The passage that stands out most to me is one that captures the basic idea of the most important theme of the book to me. That theme would be the repetition of time, the basic notion that time is going circles amongst the Buendia families, as though they are doomed to repeat the same tragedies over and over again. The second paragraph on pg. 221 in chapter 11, tells about how Ursula is sitting back and watching how generation after generation has resembled the previous ones before them. And in Colonel Aureliano Buendia's son, Aureliano Triste, she saw the spirit and habits of her husband Jose Arcadio Buendia. She noticed that he had the same adventurous and whimsical spirit. I think that this one passage has great significance to every character in the book, because many of the people resemble, even in the smallest way, some one who came before them. Such as how the twins resembled Aureliano Buendia and Jose Arcadio. It also explains on how the tragedies that happened to newer generations were similar in some way to the trials and tribulations happened to the generation before. I strongly wonder if a certain trait/characteristic is inherited simply because a person was given a name. I also wonder if it is just a coincidence that the similar tragedies happen to the people with same names or if it really is the name that brings upon a certain tragedy to that person who was cursedly cast with the certain name.

Active Reading

Chapter Eleven (3/19/07)

Magical Realism: In chapter eleven there is still mention of Aureliano Segundo sleeping with Petra Cotes so that the animals will breed more frequently. The notion of two people being together(sexually) would produce more animals to be born, seems very outlandish and crazy. And the fact that Aureliano Buendia's son Aureliano Triste had the power to break plates, even with out touching them, seemed very improbable of ever happening.
Character Development: In chapter eleven Fernanda is the one who changes the most. From when she was little she was concealed to virtually all aspects of the outside world. It was as though she was living in her own sheltered from of reality. Her parents kept her locked up in the house, making her think that there is no harm outside in the world, but just as sheltered as she was. But when she finally gets out of her house and travels for the first time, she is able to see what she has actually been missing, whether that be good or bad. She is so shocked that after she arrives back home she locks herself up in her room for a very long time. Fernanda changes from a sheltered very innocent little girl to a woman who sees what the world really is. She is no longer naive as she once was, but more aware of how things really work.
Plot Summary: Chapter 11 starts off with the author introducing the problems of Fernanda and Aureliano Segundo, about how Fernanda had problems with Aureliano and Petra Cotes being together. She even got up the courage to leave, put he went after her to and talked to her to come back. After this incident, the reader is able to see the two lovers grow further and further apart. She slowly turns the house into a version of hers, because of this Aureliano Segundo is around a lot less often. They still manage to have two children, Jose Arcadio and Renata Remedios. On a whim all 17 Aurelianos come to honor their father in a celebration. Amaranta talks them into coming to church with her, and receive ashes. They all then, besides a few, but the ones who stay go to look for a house. They find that in one of the houses they are looking at, they find Rebeca, and run away when she threatens to shoot. Despite this they stay and mandage to bring a railroad line into the village, causing new comers to venture into the village.
Quotes: "What it all means," she said, " is that you want to marry the queen". (pg. 204). This quote stands out to me because it shows that Petra Cotes sees that Aureliano really does love her, no matter how hard he tries to act like he doesn't.
"I had to do it so that the animals would keep breeding". (pg. 210). This shows that Aureliano Segundo kept sleeping with Petra not just because he loved her, but because he believed he had to in order to keep making money by raffling off the animals, due to her magical ways of breeding.
Themes: The themes in chapter 11 that is the most apparent is resentment. Fernanda resents Aureliano and Petra because they are happy together, and he is not happy with her. She resents the fact that he is always with Petra over her, and that he is happier with Petra than he could ever be with her. Colonel Aureliano also resents the idea of being honored because he believes he fought the war all those years for no real reason. And him going to any ceremony that would honor that was a mockery of who, or what was left of him as a person.

Chapter Twelve

Magical Realism: In chapter twelve there is very few magical elements. The only thing in this chapter that was out of the usual was Remedios the Beauty floating up to the sky. Which in all actuality she was really ascending to heaven. It is not impossibly because I believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus, ascended into heaven. But the fact that Remedios was not being taken up to heaven due to no obvious divine intervention , seemed very unusual for reasons not really made known.

Character Development: The person that changes the most in chapter twelve is Colonel Aureliano Buendia. He changes from some one who is very passive about the war, who doesn't even care what battles are going on , who dies, etc. to the complete opposite. He then becomes a man who is upset about how things are being run , how people are treated. He threatens to start a war between the conservatives again. He becomes some what the man he once was when he fought in all the wars.

Plot Summary: Chapter 12 starts off with the introduction of different inventions and things to Macondo. New people also came to the village because of the train, even setting up a separate community that was fenced off. Disputes also start up again in the village, and Colonel Aureliano Buendia begins to make threats of going to war again, using his sons as troops. In reaction to this unknown assassins begin to track down all of the Aurelianos and kill them one by one. Meanwhile Remedios the Beauty is still unaffected by all of the changes in the village. She is still affecting all of the men and putting them 'under a spell'. But for unknown reasons Remedios ascends into heaven, leaving her family behind in wonderment.

Quotes: "I just wanted to see you," the foreigner murmured. (pg.232). This quote shows to me the desperation men have to just catch a glimpse of Remedios the Beauty's face. They are in desperate need to be with her, because she puts them under a spell with her beauty.

"Tell him," the colonel said, spitting, " that a person doesn't die when he should but when he can". (pg. 241). This shows the colonel's unwillingness to live. He was just a shell of a man, simply waiting for his turn for death to come and take him

Themes: One theme in chapter 12 is change. The change that comes with the introduction of the town of the railroad. The people become so excited to learn about the new inventions, they want to learn about as many new things as possible. Colonel Aureliano also changes as well, he changes from some one indifferent about war, to some one who wants to start a new one to correct all of the new injustices about the war.

Chapter Thirteen (3/21/07)

Magical Realism: In this chapter it seems very out of the ordinary that Ursula would notice that her family does the same thing every minute of every day, that at a specific time everyday they do and say the same thing, exactly as they did the day before. This doesn't seem probable at all, possible yes, but not probable at all. Also when colonel went to go pee out in the yard at the chestnut tree, he got pee all on his father's ghost. This is an aspect of magical realism, because even though his father is dead his ghost is still lingering around the house, as though he never even left.

Character Development: In chapter 13 the character that changes would have to be Ursula due to the fact that she is growing older as the days go by. She becomes wiser as she gets older, if it all possible, because she was already wise in her youth. She notices things that no one else does and that would seem ridiculous to other's , but in all actuality is the real truth. The people in her family think she went senile, but in reality she is picking up all the real truths that are available about her family, and becomes wiser as she learns.

Plot Summary: In chapter thirteen not much of anything happens. The reader only sees the children of Aureliano Segundo and Fernanda grow up and get older. They each go off to school, Jose Arcadio to go off and become the pope, and Meme to go off to school and learn to be a proper lady. The reader also sees Ursula grow older with age as well, she becomes more aware of things, but she also becomes blind as well. When Meme comes home during breaks from school Aureliano comes home to act as the father, but when she leaves he goes back to living with Petra Cotes.

Quotes: " It's your fault you're not sitting where your suppose to". (pg. 248). This shows that even though Ursula is blind, she has become wise and has developed other ways to get around other than by using her sight, or lack there of.

" Rebeca," she would say, feeling along the walls, ' how unfair we've been to you!" (pg. 250). This shows that Ursula feels remorse for forgetting all about Rebeca, and only worrying about those who still live in the house, and even those who had passed away.

Themes: In this chapter the main theme is solitude. It is shown in individual members of the family, especially in Colonel Aureliano . When Ursula realizes that he no longer cares about anyone any more, she comes to the conclusion that he is merely waiting to die, and will have no relations with anyone until his death. Also at the end of the chapter Aureliano realizes the same thing in himself that Ursula was the first to see. He realizes that he is indeed in want of solitude when he goes to see the circus that came to town, and among all of the different people that came with the carnival he saw not one thing or not one person but emptiness and solitude.

Chapter Fourteen (3/21/07)

Magical Realism: In chapter fourteen one of the magical things is that Amaranta had a vision of her death, she knew it would come once she finished weaving her shroud. Also another thing that was out of the ordinary was the doctors Fernanda communicated with. She would converse with them about her health, she would send lots of letters to them, yet no one ever saw them. And when Amaranta announced that she was going to die, people gave her letters to pass on to their dead loved ones, they she would take by being buried with them.

Character Development: The character that changes the most in this chapter would be Meme, because she changes from a young, innocent girl to a woman who is in love. She fell in love with one of the former employees of her father. She would meet him in secret to be with him. When her mother took her away, after he was shot, she then changed from a woman who was in love to a woman who was dead on the inside. After that moment she never spoke again.

Plot Summary: This chapter start off with Meme visiting during the morning period for Colonel Aureliano. Shortly after this morning period, Amaranta died and the family went back into morning. But during this period Meme becomes very close with her father, and she and him go out and do a lot of things with each other. But in one of her outings she met the man she fell in love with, and that was Maurcio Babilonia. They begin to meet in secret, but get discovered by her mother. When this happens she has him sneak into the house through a secret way that lets into the bathroom. When the mother finds out about that too, she has him shot the next day. When he was shot he was paralyzed for the rest of his life.

Quotes: " Just think," she said to Meme," what the colonel must be thinking in his grave." (pg. 274.) This shows that Fernanda was very manipulative and would try and control people by any mean necessary.

" Don't worry, " She told the senders. "The first thing I'll do when I get there is to ask for him and give him your message." (pg. 280). This shows that Fernanda really believes that she will be able to give the messages to the dead.

Themes: The major theme in this chapter is misfortune. The death of Amaranta was just the for bearer of things to come. The tragedy of a lost love and of a man and woman lose their will to love was very tragic as well. Meme and her love experienced a great misfortune when her mother found out about them, and it was taken to new levels when he was shot in the spine, they both lost their will to live and became dead on the inside.

Chapter Fifteen (3/21/07)

Magical Realism: In chapter 15, when the butterflies followed Meme around they symbolized Mauricio's life, but as time went on the butterflies started becoming fewer and fewer. Until one day, there was only a couple, which signified his death was approaching. When the butterflies that were following Meme around came down to just one. When that butterfly left it signified that Mauricio had died.

Character Development: In chapter fifteen the person who changes the most would have to be Jose Arcadio Segundo. After the massacre, Jose Arcadio Segundo becomes a shell of a person. He shuts himself up in the study, and will talk to no one. It's as though he was a walking corpse, much how Colonel Aureliano Buendia was in his final days.

Plot Summary: The chapter starts off with the arrival of Meme's son that she gave birth to in the convent. .Fernanda takes Meme away, back to the town where she was from. She takes Meme back the convent where the nuns raise her, where she locks her up, and she is never heard from again. Fernanda says that she found the baby floating in the basket. She keeps the baby locked up in the old Gypsies old room, barely taking care of him. Also the author gives a run down of all the problems Jose Arcadio Segundo, and others as well, with the Banana Company. During a strike, a large number of people gathered in the town square, but this was no ordinary strike. The people who were gathered in the courtyard, were all killed, their bodies put on a train to get rid of. Jose Arcadio Segundo was the only survivor, but when he woke up on the train, he went into shock. When the train stopped he walked all the way back to the village.

Quotes: "Just like Aureliano," Ursula exclaimed. " It's as if the world were repeating itself." (pg.298) This stands out to me, because it emphasizes the assumption that time is, indeed, repeating time.

" You bastards!" he shouted." Take the extra minute and stick it up your ass." (pg. 305). This shows how upset Jose Arcadio Buendia was with the people who brought out the guns to kill the people in the town square.

Themes : The major theme in this chapter is deception. Fernanda lies to everyone and tells them that she found a baby floating in the river, when in actuality it's Meme's baby. Also The Banana company deceives everyone in the village. They do this by saying that the people who were gathered in the village square left on a train, but in actuality they were really killed.

Chapter Sixteen:

Magical Realism: One thing that seems very possible but not probable is the fact that it was raining for many, many years. It happened in the past when God flooded the world, although in this chapter it's not to that extent. But it seems like a message trying to be sent to people of the village, like trying to wash away the filth among them. Also Ursula predicted her own death, that she knew she was going to die after the rain had passed, this seems very impossible no one knows their own death.

Character Development: In chapter Aureliano Segundo changes into a man who is peaceful. He becomes very passive, taking on the characteristics of Colonel Aureliano. He even starts to become more passionate for those in his house. He even takes a more active role with the children.

Plot Summary: This chapter starts off with Aureliano Segundo returning to his house for a minor matter, but is then stuck at his house when it starts to rain. Aureliano is then forced into a temporary fit of idleness. He has nothing better to do then become involved with the kids. Fernanda is busy, during the long period of rain, by talking to the invisible doctors. Ursula becomes more senile by the day, and becomes the play thing of the children. One day Fernanda works her husband into such a rage that he breaks everything that has anything of value to her, just to try to get back at her. After that he searches the backyard tyring to find the money Ursula buried that was inside the statue, partly due to the fact that he lost all his animals in the rain.

Quotes: " It's true," she said. " I'm only waiting for the rain to stop in order to die". (pg. 320). This stands out to me because it shows the very unusual sense Ursula had to detect certain things about her family.

" There's nothing to be done," he told her." Others will be born when it clears." (pg. 321). This quote shows more misfortune in the Buendia family when all of Aureliano Segundo's animals die.

Themes: The theme in this chapter is renewal. It seemed as though the rain acted like a cleanser. The rain washed away most of the people in the village, buildings, etc. And as the rain went, it took with it many deaths. It was as though once the rain ended it brought a new beginning in it's wake, whether it be good or bad.

Chapter Seventeen

Magical Realism: In this chapter Ursula is seeing ghosts of her dead ancestors. Even though she is senile in the last years of her life, it seems a little out of stretch for her to see people that have been dead for years. Also when there was a plague of dead birds in the village, the people found a monster that they blames the plague on. Even though a plague is not really far fetched, a plague caused by a monster or even the fact that there was a monster.

Character Development: In chapter 17 the person that changes the most is Aureliano, Meme's son. He changes from a wild, strange little boy to a solitary man. He takes on the characteristics of his distant relative Colonel Aureliano. He begins to try to translate the scrolls the old gypsies had left behind, not talking or barely making himself seen.

Plot Summary:Aureliano Segundo ruins the house, and Ursula attempts to fix the house up again, and finds Jose Arcadio Segundo locked up, and he refuses to come out. Ursula dies shortly after this, and the family goes into a morning period again. Aureliano senses that he will die shortly after Ursula, so he tries to work to get the money to send Amaranta Ursula to school. He then dies shortly after that, and his twin brother dies at the same time too. They both came into the world together and left the same way. The children are also growing very fast in this chapter.

Quotes: " That's how it goes," Ursula said, " but not so much."( pg. 335). This shows that Ursula realizes finally, what Jose Arcadio Buendia realized, that time does, some times, stand still.

" That's right," she replied. " And now it's time for you to start learning how to be a silversmith." (pg. 340). This shows that Ursula is falling back in time. She thinks that Aureliano is the colonel.

Themes: In this chapter the theme is lack of identity. Jose Arcadio and Aureliano Segundo are switched when it is time for them to be buried. Their identities became the same as death approached them. Also Aureliano took on the identity of the colonel, becoming very seclusive and working by himself in a shut up room all day, barelu talking to anyone.

Chapter Eighteen

Magical Realism: An aspect of magical realism in this chapter is once again the seeing of a ghost. In this chapter Aureliano see the ghost of Melquiades, who talks to him about translating and understanding the scrolls he wrote down a long time ago. Also Fernanda thought that elves would come into her house and move things around. This seems very out of the ordinary because the thought there are magical creatures that would come into her house, seems very unlikely.

Character Development: The person who changes the most is Jose Arcadio. At first he is very hateful towards Aureliano simply because his mother told him to do so. But once Aureliano helps him in a very urgent way, Jose Arcadio becomes very passive towards him. One could even go as far to say that the two developed an unwanted love toward the other.

Plot Summary: Aureliano is shut up in his room all day reading the scrolls, while Fernanda and Sofia are left to tend to their buisness. Sofia, with no real reason, up and leaves the Buendia family, shortly after that Fernanda dies. After the death of Fernanda, Jose Arcadio arrives back at the house, taking over. Aureliano is basically banished to his room the first time Jose Arcadio lays eyes on him. Jose Arcadio starts to become friends with little kids in the town, and has them come over all the time and celebrates with them when he throws many little parties funded by the money that Ursula buried in the back yard. Jose Arcadio befriends Aureliano, but shortly after they become civil toward each other the kids kill Jose Arcadio and take is gold.

Quotes: " I give up," she said to Aureliano. " This is too much house for my old bones." (pg. 359). This shows Sofia's angst, and her desperation to get away from the Buendia family.

" Go to your room." Jose Arcadio said. ( pg. 365). This shows Jose Arcadio's common disgust toward Aureliano that was shared by his mother, fueled by simple fact that his mother told him to do so.

Themes: The theme is this chapter is abandonment. Sofia abandons the family when she feels desperation to get away from the horrid fate that the members of the family have/are to meet. Fernanda abandons her life when she feels she has nothing more to live for. And Jose Arcadio abandons Aureliano when he is killed, leaving Aureliano alone in the house once again.

Chapter Nineteen

Magical Realism: The fact the Pilar was able to tell Aureliano things that were going on some place else is very out of the ordinary. She was able to sense what was going on in his heart as well as the fact the Amaranta Ursula felt the same way as him,with out even speaking to her.

Character Development: The person who has changed the most is Amaranta Ursula. She has grown from a little girl to a full grown woman, one who is very lively and open to everything. She has matured into the woman that she is suppose to be.

Plot Summary: In the start of this chapter Amaranta Ursula arrives back to the village with her husband, and Aureliano instanty falls in love with her. He becomes secretly obsessed with her. He tries to pass the time, and to forget about her, by spending his time with his hooker, also with his friends that he has come to be aquainted with. None of these things seem to fully take his mind off of her and he becomes very depressed. He ends up coming into contact with Pilar, and she tells Aureliano to go to Amaranta Ursula. He goes to her and makes passes at her, she resists at first. She finally gives in and they become lovers.

Quotes: " Wherever she is right now, she is waiting for you." (pg. 396). This shows that Pilar is able to tell that Amaranta Ursula is indeed inlove with Aureliano.

" You're too suspicious to be a good bat." (pg. 393). This shows that Aureliano was indeed envious of Amaranta Ursula's husband, and tried to put ideas in her head to get her to stop loving him.

Themes: In this chapter the main theme is incest. Aureliano falls in love with his aunt Amaranta Ursula. He cannot help but feel this way, and she, too, falls in love with him. They become lovers, very passionate with the other.

Chapter Twenty

Magical Realism: The fact that a family's entire history was predicted and written down 100 years before it even happened is very out of place in any kind of normal reality. It is very unlikely that one would ever know anything before it actually happened, let alone everything that would happen in a span of a hundred years.

Character Development: Aureliano is the one who changes the most, he changes to a man who is blinded by love to one who is awakened abruptly by reality. He is in his own little world with Amaranta Ursula, but then once she dies by child birth he begins to change completely. He becomes aware of what is actually happening around him, the fact that he is a cursed Buendia destined to meet a tragic fate.

Plot Summary: This chapter starts off with Pilar dieing, and her remaining family leaving the village. Then one by one Aureliano's friends leave, eventually making the town a ghost town. He is only left with his love Amaranta Ursula. She becomes pregnant with Aureliano's baby and they tell her husband, who is not really bothered by the news, pratically giving them his belssing. When Amaranta Ursula gives birth to the baby they notice the pig tail on the baby. She is bleeding drastically, and dies due to loss of blood because of child birth. He leaves the house and comes back to find the baby dead. He then shuts himself of in the toom to finish translating the scrolls, and realized that on the scrolls is his family's history. He then realizes that he and his family were destined to expierence tragedy from the beginning.

Quotes: " What hurts me the most," she would say, " is thinking about all the time we wasted." (pg. 405) This shows Amaranta Ursula's love for Aureliano, and her want to have been with him.

"We'll name him Aureliano and he'll win 32 wars." (pg. 412). This quote shows a theme of the whole book, repitition of time. The fact that another Aureliano would drive the Buendia fate and blood line further down the path of time.

Themes: The main theme in this chapter is tragedy. Tragedy is the fate that Aureliano meets when his love and baby both die. He is left to his grief and lonliness, to think about it alone for the rest of his life. Also the unltimate fate of the entire Buendia family. Tragedy was the fate that all the Buendias were meant to meet in the end, from the very founding of their line in the village of Macondo.

Active reading

Chapter Seven (3/8/07)

Magical realism: Jose Arcadio Buendia, before his death, saw the ghost of the man he killed. The man would come and talk to him about many different things, such as news on the war and things like that. Also when Jose Arcadio Buendia dies, it rains flowers from the sky. As if the earth was morning his death.
Character Development: Ursula becomes more accepting in this chapter. Even though she wishes she could help Aureliano, and even tries. She accepts that there might be a chance she won't be able to. Colonel Aureliano also becomes more accepting and mellow. He accepts the fact that he might die, and has come to terms with it, and all he does is patiently waiting for it to come. Jose Arcadio also changes from a man who is withdrawn from his family, to one who has come to stick up for his family, especially saving his brother's life. Rebeca changes into a shell of a person, once her husbands dies, she loses all will to love.
Plot Summary: Aureliano was taken into custody, where he will be receiving the death sentence. Ursula comes to see him, and tries to give him a gun that he might be able to use it and get out, but that doesn't happen. He is actually taken out about to be killed, but it never happens for a good while. That is because no one wanted to kill him, because if they did it would mean their death too.The reason for that is, because if they did indeed kill Aureliano they would die because some one was bound to seek revenge on the assassinate. When the order is finally carried out, and they are about to kill him, Jose Arcadio shows up with a gun. They don't shoot him because they believe divine providence saved Aureliano. But one day after Jose Arcadio goes out hunting, and returns to his room, he gets killed. Rebeca was never the same after that. Amaranta, then was falling in love with Colonel Gerineldo Marquez. But she refused to be with him, no matter how many times he would ask. When Jose Arcadio Buendia finally died, there was yellow flowers falling from the sky.
Quotes: "Don't be clever Buendia," he told him. " That's just a trick to gain more time." (pg. 126)
This quote explains the fact that Aureliano is trying in desperation to escape the fate of death, for now anyway.
"Let's go Buendia," he told him. "Our time has come". Showing that when it was time for Aureliano's execution, that the guard knew that it was time for him to die as well. He knew he would die because some one would kill him for killing the colonel.
Themes: The themes in this chapter are death, and fear. In this chapter Jose Arcadio Buendia dies, finally, after his crazy fantasies lead him astray. He finally loses all sense of self, and in the end subdues to his eminent faith. Jose Arcadio is also killed, mysteriously shot with no open wounds. Aureliano also , almost dies. He doesn't fear it but accepts it. The ones who fear for the people who did/will die are Ursula and Rebeca. Rebeca fears for what her life will be like once Jose Arcadio is dead. She shuts herself up in her house in response to that fear and is rarely seen again. Ursula also fears for Aureliano, she even brings him a pistol in hopes he might be able to use it to escape. But she doesn't fear for her husband, because he knows that he is finally at rest from all of his crazy fantasies and is able to find rest in his afterlife.

Chapter Eight (3/12/07)

Magical Realism: It was magical that Pilar knew what was going to happen to Aureliano Jose. She knew that if he left her house the night he was suppose to die, he would indeed meet his face and wouldn't be able to escape. However she knew that if he didn't go, he would marry the woman in her house, and live a happy life. The fact that she knew his fate, seemed again possible, but not at all probable.
Character Development: In chapter eight Aureliano Jose grows from an adolescent into a grown young man. He becomes more in tune with certain 'feelings' that a man thinks more of than a little boy, and that is his sexual drive. He starts to have sexual feelings towards his aunt, and he also begins to sleep with different women that he brings to the home of Pilar. Amaranta also changes, from a woman who does not like to express feelings of love at all to men to one who does. She becomes quite passionate with her nephew. She flirts, and plays games of infatuation with him, although she later comes to regret it. She then again changes to a woman, who hates the notion of showing affection, especially when she realizes that her behavior is incestuous.
Plot Summary: In the beginning of chapter eight, it starts off with showing the growing lust between Amaranta and Aureliano Jose. The start to play games of lust and infatuation with each other, and that leads to the increase in tension between them. They even almost got caught kissing once, which snapped Amaranta into reality, and she realized that it had to stop. Amaranta eventually started barring her door, so that he would not come in. Aureliano during this time, was off fighting different battles, with no real reason to them. He took Aureliano Jose with him, but he deserted them and came back home. He would always keep persisting, but eventually gave up and would take different girls to Pilar's house to sleep with them. But Pilar told him one day to not leave the house, because she knew something was going to happen to him. A man of the conservative army shot him. But Pilar knew that if he wouldn't have gone he would have lived, and married the woman who was waiting for him.
Quotes: "I don't care if they're born as armadillos, " he begged. (pg. 149) This shows Aureliano Jose's determination that he wants to marry his aunt, despite the fact that it may be incest or wrong in the eyes of others in his family.
"Go to hell friend," he answered. This shows General Moncada that he is upset with the way Colonel Aureliano has been acting. That he sees him turning into a tyrant right before his eyes, he is no longer the same man.
Themes: In the chapter some of the most apparent themes are change and one sided love. Aureliano Jose is very much in love with Amaranta, but she does not return the love, even though she comes very close to doing so. He eventually realizes that this won't happen and gives up in trying to pursue in loving her. Colonel Aureliano changes, he goes from a somewhat fair man to a tyrant. He was even going to kill one of his good friends over some trivial issue. Ursula however manages to show him the error of his ways. And he gives way to letting his friend off the hook. So he actually changes back the man he was, and lets his virtues, or whatever he has that is close to them, show once again.

Chapter Nine (3/13/07)

Magic Realism: In this chapter Aureliano is having visions, as he has always had, about what will happen next in his life, he had visions of various things. But in this chapter, even at his old age he is still having visions about the war and other things. Ursula in this chapter sees the ghost of Jose Arcadio Buendia, she sees him walking about the house as if he were still alive, and as if he didn't even die.
Character Development: In chapter nine Colonel Aureliano changes from a man who is indifferent about the war, to a man who grows to detest it all together. He can't even stand to hear the mention of the war. He came to resent all things he once stood for. Amaranta also changes in this chapter, she use to at least value Colonel Marquez, but then she grew to resent the very idea of him. When he would come around, she told him to just go away and to forget about her.
Plot Summary: In chapter nine Aureliano becomes more secluded, he starts to care less and less about the war, and himself as well. Colonel Marquez was trying to pursue Amaranta more and more. She keeps rejecting his attempts over and over. But when they leave, Aureliano and Marquez, to go forth on another task, and the task comes to an end, Aureliano tries to kill himself. He fails at this however, and this turns him into a man literally dead on the inside.
Quotes: "Let's forget about each other forever," she told him. "We're too old for this sort of stuff." (pg.163).This stands out to me, because it shows Amaranta's determination to turn down Marquez. Even though she might want to be with him, it's as though she won't give herself the chance to be happy.
"You can't come in colonel," she told him. "You may be in command of your war, but I'm in command of my house." (pg. 165). This shows that Ursula is determined to keep things in order within her house, even though things out side in the world may be falling apart.
Themes: Themes in chapter nine is resignation. Colonel Aureliano gives up on the war and on his life in general. He starts to give up on the war, and he doesn't even want to hear anything about it anymore. He gave up on his life when he tried to kill himself. He failed, so he gave up on living and just walked on about life as though he were not there anyway. Amaranta gives up on trying to have happiness. She figures that she went through most of her life in misery, and since that's all she knows, she decides to continue on is such that way. She shows this by turning down the man he loves, when he asks to marry her over and over again.

Chapter Ten (3/15/07)

Magical Realism: In chapter ten Aureliano Segundo was able to see the ghost of Melquiades, and was also able to talk to him, particularly conversing with about his predictions that he wrote down years ago. Also When Aureliano Segundo grew up and was sleeping with Petra Cotes, he said the animals were multiplying to fast because of some magic that came from his sleeping with her. Also it's hard to believe that Remedios the Beauty was able to put man in a trance by the man taking a mere look at her, and they would be put under her spell for the rest of their life.

Character Development: In chapter ten the twins are the two that change the most. They each take on their own identity, no longer acting the same. Jose Arcadio Segundo becomes more involved in religious activity then anything else, while his brother Aureliano Segundo gets involved in Melquiades' studies. They both started off with the same exact personality, but grew into two totally different people. They no longer shared the bond that kept them together anymore, they grew into two opposites.

Plot summary: In chapter ten the twins are growing up. They each start to develop their own personalities. One becomes involved in religion, the other in Melquiades' work. The chapter describes in minor detail how they each progress into their own likings, but when they grow older they each share a common interest in one thing, and that is Petra Cotes. They both start to sleep with her, but after a certain 'private incident' Jose Arcadio Segundo stops sleeping with her, and leaves her for his brother. As they get older, Aureliano Segundo starts to raise animals and raffles them off, this brings him a great deal of money. Jose Arcadio Segundo gets an outrageous ides to try and start bringing ships through Macondo, but his idea fails. During a carnival when Remedios the beauty wins queen, an uprising breaks out and Fernanda gets hurt. Ursula takes care of her. When she leaves to go home Aureliano Segundo goes to her house to find her to marry her.

Quotes: "That's what your great-father did," Ursula said. "He used to talk to himself too."(pg. 184). This signifies to me that the family passes down it's eccentricities from one generation to the other, as if it is a curse that is doomed to be passed down as long as a Buendia live.

"It's better that way," she approved. "Let's hope that he becomes a priest so that God will finally come into this house." (pg. 185). This shows that Ursula feels that there is some kind of curse that is ruining her family because so many bad things keeps repeating themselves over to different people of the family.

Themes: A theme in this chapter that is the most apparent is that of change. The twins change into entirely different people the from what they once were. They change into their own individuals, but they also change into the people they are meant to be by fate, which ultimately was decided upon way before they were born.

Active reading

Chapter One (3/1/07)
Magical elements: The first element that jumps out as a magical reality, is the fact that Jose Arcadio Buendia was using a magnet to search for gold. It seems possible, that a magnet would attract metal, but the likely hood is slim to none. Also when he tried to make a weapon out of a magnifying glass, it seems possible but not probable.
Another one was when Melquiades said he knew that the devil had a sulfuric smell, which would make sense since the devil is associated with the devil.
And when Jose Arcadio Buendia becomes involved in alchemy, which in it's own sense is magical realism, it seems like it is a magical reality. The fact that one could use science to take ordinary metals and turn them into something valuable such as gold seems like something that could be done but is still very unlikely.
Character development: Jose Arcadio Buendia goes through changes, he changes from a very able patron of the town who is able to run it with great efficiency to the complete opposite. He then becomes a man who lives in a fantasy world full of gold and whimsical hopes.
Ursula changes as well, she changes from a fearful woman, that fears the things her husband will do to a woman who has comes to terms with his change. She has not become totally supportive, but rather use to the idea that he will do crazy things, so to avoid drama she just learned to except the things he does.
Plot Summary: Basically in the first chapter all that is being done is that we get a rough introduction to the characters and things that set up the rest of the book. The reader sees that Jose Arcadio Buendia's fetish for fantasy will play an important role in the development of how the story will play out.
Also the reader sees that there is a certain isolation to thier town, so the desperation for Jose Arcadio Buendia to find the rest of the land with other people and towns is a key fact in the book. There will , in the plot of the book, attempts in anyway to reach out and make contact with others.
Quotes: "Things have a life of their own," the gypsy proclaimed with a harsh accent. " It's simply a matter of waking up their souls."
It stands out to me because it shows that people believe in far fetched magical ideas and thoughts.
" We will not leave," she said. " We will stay here, because we have had a son here."
This stands out to me because Ursula stands up to Jose Arcadio Buendia, finally after dealing with all his crazy antics.
Themes: Discovery is very important theme in chapter one. Jose Arcadio Buendia is so intrigued with finding gold, a way to use important inventions, and other things. He is also determined to find a path that will lead to other villages. Isolation is also a theme. Jose Arcadio Buendia wants to find other civilizations because he wants to get rid of the feeling that he and the other people of Macondo are alone on a isolated land mass.

Chapter Two (3/5/07)

Magical Elements: In chapter two Jose Arcadio Buendia kills a man, and after he kills him Ursula sees the man's ghost on multiple occasions. Jose Arcadio Buendia sees the man as well, they become so bothered that they move away to get away from his ghosts. Another magical element was when Pilar Ternera claimed to be able to read the cards to determine what will happen in the future. Alchemy still plays a magical role in this chapter. That people can scientifically turn other metals into gold.
Character Development: In chapter two Ursula changes from a woman scared, and unsure of her relationship with her husband to a woman who accepts it for what it is and makes the best of the love she has for him even though it may be wrong is some people's eyes. Even though she and Jose Arcadio Buendia are distant family, they are still family none the less. And people think that because of that their life and family, or would become family, would wrong and disfunctional because of it. For example listening to others when they tell her that her children will be deformed, and actually believeing that. She then just finally lets all her concerns go one night when she and Jose Arcadio Buendia finally make love for the first time. That is an act that shows that she finally lets her fears go.
Jose Arcadio also changes in this chapter. He changes from little boy into a man. He goes through puberty and at once inherits very unique masculine features. He also becomes very interested in women , it becomes official when he and Pilar become involved with each other.
Jose Arcadio Buendia changes from a man that is always invlolved in his dream world and carrying out his fantasies to a man who takes charge of his household. He is cast back into reality when he has to take care of the two remaining kids when Ursula goes in search of Jose Arcadio, after he runs away.
Plot summary: In chapter 2, the reader sees the effects that are cause by a complicated situation. Jose Arcadio gets a woman pregnant and in response, he runs away. This causes Ursula go after him, which causes Jose Arcadio Buendia to take charge of the house while he's gone. Jose Arcadio Buendia steps up and take cares of things in the house.
Quotes: "Look at what people are going around saying, Ursula," he told his wife very calmly. (pg. 21)
Meaning that Jose Arcadio Buendia is very susceptible to the opinion of others and , in my opinion, will dictate how he acts throughout the rest of the book.
" You go home and get a weapon, because I am going to kill you". (pg. 21)
This shows that Jose Arcadio Buendia will also do anything to defend his honor and that of his family. Which speaks about his character, saying that he is a very proud man.
Themes: In this chapter one theme is abandonment, Jose Arcadio abandons his family, when he can't handle certain impotant issues. Ursula also leaves her family is search of Jose Arcadio when he leaves. She leaves Jose Arcadio Buendia to take care of everything she normally would.
Also incest is a theme, especially when Jose Arcadio is about to have sex with Pilar, and sees the face of his mother. He doesn't know why he does, but he also finds comfort in seeing her face.

Chapter Three (3/6/07)

Magical Realism: The plague of insomnia that makes people forget things is very unusual. The fact that insomnia can make the people totally forget their past and who they are is a very magical thing, but yet seems possible because it's tied to a real thing (insomnia). Another aspect is that Melquiades came back from the dead. The fact that anyone can come back from the dead is automatically magical in a sense all it's own.
Character Development: Jose Arcadio Buendia changes goes through a change once again, he changes back into the town leader he had once been in his past. He sheds the magical fantasies once again.
Rebeca changes from a shy little girl when she first arrives, to a girl who is more open to the family. She comes to accept them as her own and begins to open up to them.
Aureliano changes as well, he changes into a man, so to speak. He has his first sexual encounter. And goes from an inexperienced man to one who has "known a woman".
Plot summary: In chapter 3 Pilar gives Arcadio to his grandparents for them to raise. Amaranta takes him as her own and raises him. A little girl who is a distant relative of the family, Rebeca, arrives to stay with them because her parents have died. When she comes she is hesitant to become part of the family, but ten after a few weeks she begins to become more active with them and feels at home with them. But when she begins to suffer from insomnia , like a plague, it spreads to all of the people in the house, and eventually to the whole town. When people begin to forget who they are and their past, in the nick of time Melquiades arrives with an antidote to cure them of the sickness. Also the magistrate comes to the village, and Jose Arcadio Buendia becomes very upset at this because the magistrate starts to order the people around. Jose Arcadio Buendia then tells him that it wouldn't be wise of him to do that or else he would have to leave. Aureliano become infactuated with Remedios, the daughter of the magistrate, and has dreams of being able to be with her.
Quotes: "You shouldn't complain." Ursula told her husband. "Children inherit their parents' madness." (pg. 40) This shows that the unique, and abnormal family traits will be passed down from generation to generation in the family.
" I'm thinking about Prudencio Aguilar again." (pg. 44) This shows that throughout the book that there will be things in the family that will come back to haunt them, things that have happened in their past.
Themes: One of the most apparent themes in chapter three is revelations. The family goes through many a number of revelations. A new family remember is revealed to them, as is the symptoms of a rare plague. Also the phenomena of Melquiades coming back from the dead is revealed to them as well, although they don't know how it happens exactly.

Chapter Four (3/6/07)

Magical Realism: In Chapter 4 Jose Arcadio Buendia believes that Pierto Crepsi is a fairy. That is not true but, Jose Arcadio Buendia does believe it to be true. Also The fact that Jose Arcadio Buendia becomes lost in a world of his fantasies where time stops is out of the usual. Even though the idea of a person who is so caught up in what they are doing, that they lose all sense of time is in fact possible. But the notion that it will actually happen isn't, and that is what Jose Arcadio Buendia actually believed happened.
Character Development: In chapter four Amaranta and Rebeca both grow into young ladies. Rebeca grows into a young woman who believes in very romantic feelings, especially when she acquires them for Pierto Crepsi. Amaranta grows into a young woman of jealous, because she too loves him. Aureliano also grows more into a man intune with his feelings, shown in his dedication to put up with the little girl he loves in hope she will grow up into a woman who will love her too.
Plot summary: In this chapter Rebeca and Pierto become engaged to each other, as do Aureliano and Remedios. Jose Arcadio Buendia is the one who goes to the house of Remedios and asks her father to grant Aureliano's wish to marry her. They are shocked and insist on one of their older daughters, but Aureliano wants Remedios. Rebeca and Pierto become involved, and when this happens Amaranta becomes angry. She threatens to do anything in her power to prevent them from wedding. Ursula then plans a trip to take with Amaranta in hopes she will cool down.Pilar also announces to Aureliano that she is going to have his son, and he will recognize him as his child. Jose Arcadio Buendia becomes very involved in trying to get a music box to work, and when that happens he finally loses his mind and thinks time is standing still, and sees the ghost of the man he killed. He goes crazy and his family is forced to tie him to a tree in the backyard where he would carry out the majority of the rest of his life.
Quotes: "Don't get your hopes up. Even if they send me to the ends of the earth I'll find some way of stopping you from getting married, even if I have to kill you". (pg. 73) This shows the desperation Amarata has to stop Rebeca, because she loves Pierto so much.
"Today is Monday too." (pg. 77). This shows that Jose Arcadio Buendia has indeed lost his mind, and all sense of reality. He has made his last journey into fantasy, where he will stay.
Themes: In chapter four one theme is the sense of time. Jose Arcadio Buendia lost his sense of time and finally gave up on reality. He repeated Monday in his head for three days in a row, in his mind, time did indeed stop.
Another theme is love. Aureliano is in love with Remedios. and shows this when he takes the time to care for her, and teach her. Rebeca is also in love, and shows great affection to Pierto whenever she can.
Themes: A major theme in this chapter is revenge. Amaranta is desperate for revenge when she finds out that Rebeca is going to marry Pierto Crepsi. She vowed to do anything to keep them from marrying him, even going to the extent to kill Rebeca

Chapter Five (3/7/07)

Magical Realism: In this Chapter, Madness(mentally) is very big aspect with an important role. The one that suffers the most from this madness is Jose Arcadio Buendia. He goes crazy and is still tied to the tree as in the previous chapter. He is even o longer able to communicate in his launguage. The only thing he can speak is in Latin, and lost all sense of self. From memory of his family to that of his own identity as well.
Character Development: Aureliano changes a great deal in this chapter. He changes from a man in love Remedios, to a man who is sorrowful when she dies. He then changes to a man of purpose, he changes to a man who becomes dedicated to the purpose of the war. Rebeca also goes through a change. She goes from being in love Pierto to being in love with her "brother" Jose Arcadio. Jose Arcadio Buendia changes to a man who is compeletly lost within himself. He is no longer the man he use to be, and no way he can ever go back to the man he use to be.
Plot summary: Aureliano and Remedios become married. She is recieved into the house with great pleasure. She is the one who undertakes the tasks of taking care of Jose Arcadio Buendia. She even announces that she will be having a baby. Amaranta and Rebeca even call a truce to make clothes for the baby. Remedios then dies, and Rebeca and Pierto's is then put on hold, but in this period she falls in love with her brother Jose Arcadio and marries him. With that, Amaranta and Pierto become engaged. Aureliano tells Ursula that their marriage should be put on hold. During this period Aureliano's father in law urges him to remarry, and even pick one of his 6 daughters. He refuses. He also becomes involved in the war, and leads the revolution,and he spreads the word of what is happening among his peers in hopes to spark an intrest of the war in them as well. He becomes Colonel Aureliano Buendia.
Quotes: "You are a woman little sister." (pg.91) This shows the incestual intent that is rampant among the family. Especially in the case of Jose Arcadio and Rebeca, when they wed, although not tequnically brother and sister, but still raised as such.
"War. And don't call me Aurelito anymore. Now I'm Colonel Aureliano Buendia." (pg.101). This shows that Aureliano is no longer a boy of simple virtues any longer. He is a man that is very troubled by a tragedy and is trying to find an outlet for it by pouring his self into something that seems worth fighting in.
Themes: Themes in this chapter include incest and love. Rebeca and Jose Arcadio are very much in love, but their love is a taboo. Due to the fact they are considered brother and sister, although not by blood. So if they are raised in the same house hold by the same parents, their relationship is seen as incestual. Another love that develops is that of Pierto and Amaranta, when Rebeca leaves him. He turns to Amaranta in order to find comfort and happiness. She was the one who always had love for him, so there was no need for her to develop them.

Chapter Six (3/7/07)

Magical Realism: One thing that is out of the ordinary is how Colonel Gregorio could fight off a whole bunch of opposing troops, with just himself. It seems very unlikely that one man could get rid of a large number of a large number of armed men.
Character Development: Aureliano changes into a military man, he becomes devoted to the purpose of the war. With his expeirance in the war, he gaines more knowledge and becomes more wise. Ursula becomes more dominant in the house. When Arcadio becomes cruel and is about to assinate a man, she steps in and beats him for it. Arcadio also changes into a kind little boy into a man who becomes enraged with power and turns evil, and punishes people for petty reasons.
Plot Summary: In Chpter Six, Colonel Aureliano Buendia is off fighting different battles of the war. While away he leaves Arcadio in charge of Macondo. During Arcadio's rule he became corrupt with power, and had people killed and beaten for different reasons. When he was going to have Don Apolinar Moscote, Ursula found out and started to beat him. . While all this is going on Amaranta and Pierto are deepening their feelings. But something in her mind changed, and she denied to marry. He would try to win her back, but she refused to give into his antics. In response to the heart break, he killed himself. Arcadio found a woman who he became invloved with, his sister. They had a daughter and twins. But when the opposing army invaded the town, they captured Arcadio and then they shot him.
Quotes: " In a way that niether you nor I can understand, that man was a saint," she said. " So I am going to bury him against your wishes, beside Melquiades' grave". (pg. 110). This significance shows that Ursula has become dominant person in the family and takes contorl of running things
"To my great honor," he said, " I am not a Buendia." (pg. 111) This shows that Arcadio indeed has hatred from the family whence he came. He hates the very thought of being one. That helps to explain the hatred he developed, even towards his family.

Themes: Themes in chapter 6 are change and betrayel. Arcadio and Aureliano change. Arcadio changes into a more evil man and he betrays his family by saying that he is no longer a Buendia. He also betrays his town by turning on the people for the most litte, insignificant defiances they may have not meant to cause. Aureliano changes into a man more dedicated to something. He changes into a man who concentrates all his sorrows to the cause of the war.

Reflective Journal

Chapter One (3/1/07)

In Chapter one I started off really confused because I didn't exactly know what going on with all of the characters. The main reason for that is because all of the names are so similar, I kind of felt overwhelmed. But after the first couple of pages I began to become o.k. with it. I really didn't understand why Jose Arcadio Buendia would fall for far brained schemes that were very far fetched, such as using the magnets to search for gold. But reading on I came to find that he was a man that lived in a fantasy world, where anything that is magical and wondrous could be reality. I also wondered why Melquiades was aging so fast. The answer is never really given to this question, I just figured it might be a combination of all the illnesses he suffered from throughout his life. I also wondered why Jose Arcadio Buendia was so anxious to find some kind of land that would connect to a larger part of the land. I later came to find that it was he didn't want to have the feeling of isolation, he wanted to be able to come into contact with other cities, town, civilizations, etc. My overall reaction to chapter one was confusion, very great confusion! But, then, after reading on I was able to get some clarification on some things.
(3/13/07)
Okay, even though things have been getting a little better with reading there are still a couple things I am confused about. It's chapter nine and still don't know why the members of the family are always inbreading, is it because they only spend so much time with members of their own family? I'm guessing that's the reason why, for the fact they really don't mingle with other people of the town.
(3/15/07)
Having finished with chapter 1-10 so far, I think that book has answered a good amount of my questions. But there are still things I'm not too sure about. Such as the issue of is time really repeating itself and something that I really am curious about is why the family is always going through so many bad times. I think maybe later on in the book, the author will reveal the reason for this, maybe their ancestors did something really wrong. I guess the only way to find out is to read on. Dum...dum... DUM!!!!!!