Week 7: 100 Years of Solitude Part 1 (Márquez)
Hi everyone! I hope everyone had a restful and relaxing break. I have to say I am really enjoying this book so far. When I first saw the family tree at the beginning I thought I was in for a long, hard, and confusing book (which this one was at times), but mostly I found myself being fascinated by the multitude of stories and characters in the book. From the founding of the town, the gypsy arrival, seeing ice, love triangles, incest, this book had it all. I particularly enjoyed reading about the marriages between Rebbecca and Crepsi and then Aureliano and Remedios. I loved the sibling (or adopted sibling) rivalry that grew between the adopted Rebbecca and Amaranta. The anticipation of the weddings and what was going to happen kept me hooked to the book for a bit.
Jon and his lecture were definitely correct when he said that this was a book you have to stick with more than just pick it up when you feel like reading. I get very distracted easily and have a hard time focusing, so I struggled with this a bit but once I was mindfully cautious that I had to keep reading I found the experience much more enjoyable.
I don't know if I’m sensing a common theme between the majority of the books we have read in this class, but I feel like they all have a relation to a theme of the fragility of memory, the line between the living and dead, and family centered stories. All of the books we have read have had this familiar aspect to them of feeling like I know the person who is writing the book. Especially the last couple of books I have chosen to read, the author's writing style definitely appeals to me. Márquez's ability to tell so many different stories, and build on so many different characters, and as said in the lecture “over-full narrative” really keeps my attention and makes me want to read more. The question was posed in the lecture if getting lost in this book or being confused is pleasurable or not? I personally found it really pleasurable. I liked being able to sink in and out of this novel, be more attentive at parts I was interested in and a little less when I was bored. Although I found that everyone having the same or very similar names kept me on my toes, I like how the book doesn't pressure you to feel like you have to know what's going on. It feels easy and flowy, and I think that is one of the many things that adds to why I enjoyed this book.
My question for you guys is how can we interpret the courses themes of games and play with this novel? How do you think “play” as a theme or maybe a general concept is integrated into this novel, if it is at all?
Thank you for reminding us of the playful aspect of this novel. It is true that it is not easy to read, and that for some people it can be boring in some passages. However, it has a different tone from other works we have read so far. Each one deals with these common themes with important variations: it seems to me that García Márequez has the gift of enchanting us with his style. Which parts did you find less interesting? Did they disconnect you from the narrative?
ReplyDeleteHi Jordan!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your thoughts and insights on the reading! I also really enjoyed reading it and have to agree that it does follow similar patterns and themes that we have seen in previous weeks. Especially in terms of memory, I think that is what makes this book stand out as a historical fiction piece, as it has that added layer of magical realism and intense emotional memories. I think that play is found in how Márequez writes and how he jumps from time periods to add suspense and effect. A notable example of the is the infamous first sentence of the book. Also how some of his characters such as Úrsula, become aware of the mystical progression of time in their town.
Hello! I really enjoyed reading your blog post. You make a great point about noticing the commonalities between the books we have been assigned in this “choose your own adventure” model, I wonder if the themes of memory, death/life, and family are more common in Latin American literature due to the cultural values that are present. You also bring up a great point about Márquez’s ability to write about so many different people, and tell their stories while staying true to the characters themselves. In terms of your question, I think “play” as a general concept comes into play when we have to learn/discover/accept the rules that exist within the magical universe created by Márquez, and read the book through this lens. There are many situations that occur in this universe that would not exist (or be acceptable) in our world, so learning to “play” with these concepts without judgement is an important part of appreciating the story.
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