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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.