I finished it this morning, and quite liked the destruction of everything at the end. Overall I would've liked the novel better if it used the time shifting and perspective confusion to tell a hero's journey, but that's more my personal tastes. It was good at what it was trying to do, which I see it as trying to create some folklore around Columbian history, while pointing out that everything is ephemeral (and written by the victors). Also the cyclical nature of humanity and mistakes, eventually leading to insanity, death, and haunting as ghosts to continue their endeavors.
I remember this topic coming up in class and there being a discussion about it. At the time my teacher said that Latin American literature and culture as a whole always has more of a focus on the family journey rather than on an individual one. This is a trend I could certainly see, but also seems to be right on that line of celebrating a culture versus stereotyping it. Anyone have thoughts on this?
My classics book club did this last year and we ended up going through the
Oprah's book club questions on it. There are a lot of them in four parts in that link but here are my favorites that I think could be fun to discuss:
Read the first sentence very closely. How many time periods are covered? The beginning of this novel is considered one of the most fabulous openers in the history of literature. What do you like about it? Why do you think it's considered to be so unique?
I love this line so much and have memorized it. I think that's what gave me false hope I'd be able to read the book in Spanish, oops. The main thing is the beautiful rush across time periods in one sentence. I have so many questions and am so intrigued just from this first line. It's so fucking good.
Plagues that have affected humanity throughout the ages have been diseases that impact the body. What is the significance of the fact that the insomnia plague is a plague of the intellect? How do you read the fact that even though they can't sleep, the inhabitants of Macondo don't die?
The Insomnia Plague is the first thing from 100 Years of Solitude that pops into my head whenever anyone mentions the book. It's so striking and tells you so much about the book. It's a wonderful and pure example of magical realism, because here is a real symptom but spread and manifested in such a magical way. The descriptions of the candy animals as the disease vector. The odd usage of the bells. The mundane labels on everything. The fact that the cure comes from a man who has returned from the dead due to loneliness. There's so much in that sequence.
Talk about Úrsula. In the first section of our reading, you learn of her strength and cunning. How does that continue to show itself throughout the book? In what ways is Úrsula innovative? If she is the natural Matriarch of the family, what decisions does she make that you agree with? Does she make any that you disagree with or are confused by?
If you had to pick one character to try to fit in the Hero's Journey archetype as noted above, you could probably pull it off with her. I will always love love that she just wanders off and figures out the path to link Macondo to civilization despite the men trying and failing for so long.
Discuss the complicated, fecund and very unusual sexual patterns of the Buendía clan. Do you find them to be different from the sexual mores of the United States in the 21st century? If so, how?
There was much more incest and sex working than I expected! I don't know how much of that was commonplace in that era/location, but it definitely stood out to me. Unfortunately, I could see a PTA Mom reading some passages aloud to a school board and getting it removed from school libraries.
These are similar topics, it not an unintended answer to the question. Fernanda is totally a PTA mom though.
Spend some time thinking about all the different kinds of love that exist in the novel. Are there loves that seem to transcend the ravages of everyday life, warfare, history, and time itself? What kind of love is the most prevalent?
Carnal. I feel there is far more lust than love in this novel. Also an obligation to procreate and a social obligation/need to appear powerful/masculine, which causes the death of Prudencio early on.
Talk about the many jubilees, festivals and other kinds of celebration that occur in Macondo. Do there seem to be more of them in these pages than there were at the beginning of the book? If so, why do you think that might be?
I remember not getting this question last time and can't remember if we even discussed it. More leisure time? I'm really not sure!
Take some time to consider the way that the government has changed or developed over the course of the novel. Do you feel that the way the Buendía family is "governed" has shifted? Do they have less or more power than they did in the beginning of the book?
There's a complete loss of the family's control/governance of every aspect of their lives, even self-control.
"It rained for four years, eleven months and two days." What does the rain represent?
I feel like this is a Biblical reference that's going over my head. Anyone have thoughts on this?