The Curse of Knowledge

Throughout the novel One Hundred Years of Solitude we see how the people of Macondo are seperated from the rest of the world and ignorant to the technology and discoveries of the time. During this period of ignorance we see how Macondo is a magical place where the people live in peace. As technology reaches Macondo and the town develops we see how the magic fades away and the town almost becomes corrupted. The more the town develops, the more the inhabitants forget how it once was and why it was founded. When it is all forgotten, the town becomes destroyed and forgotten. The knowledge they gain from the outside world causes them to forget how the town once was. This is the curse of knowledge

Thoughts? Counter-Arguments? Anything to add? Please feel free to comment.

One Hundred Years of Solitude ... AS A NETFLIX SERIES

Article: https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/netflix-one-hundred-years-of-solitude-gabriel-garcia-marquez-1203156110/

Netflix now has the right to adapt the novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude, as a series. It will be a Spanish-language original based on the novel. Gabriel Marquez’s sons, Rodrigo and Gonzalo are going to be the executive producers and it will be filmed in Colombia. The brothers say their father was hesitant about selling the rights of the novel for a film because of the time constraints on a film (wouldn’t do the novel justice). Now they are saying with the “hype” of Netflix and the popularity of series, that now is the perfect time to take on the project. 

Francisco Ramos, Netflix’s VP of Spanish language originals, said, “We are incredibly honored to be entrusted with the first filmed adaptation of ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude,’ a timeless and iconic story from Latin America that we are thrilled to share with the world”   AND   “We know our members around the world love watching Spanish-language films and series, and we feel this will be a perfect match of project and our platform.”

magical realism and 100 years

In 100 Years of Solitude I believe that there is a clear link between the biblical reference of the garden of Eden and the fall of man. In the begining of biblical history, man and woman lived in a utopia. They lived with nature and there was pain or suffering at all. This is extremely similar to Macondo. When the Buendias first found Macondo, it was nothing short of a Utopia. We also see the magical realism within the town and the living side by side with nature, especially the birds. There is a normalization of magic in beginning, similarly to Eden. Humans were banished from the garden when they partook from the tree of knowledge. Through this they were able to see the difference between good and evil. In the book, as the people of Macondo were exposed to  more and more knowledge they began to lose the utopian type civilization where they reside. As the town learns more and more they begin to totally lose all magic in the town. And like the exodus from Eden, after knowledge became known, humans and the people of Macondo were faced with death. At the end of the book we see Macondo be wiped off the face of the Earth, similarly to Eden. 

The Cyclical Nature of History

According to Aljazeera, many ex-leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia have rearmed themselves to begin a new armed struggle against the government of Colombia. This means the peace of Havana that was negotiated in 2016 is effectively over and Colombia will be thrust back into civil war. 

In 100 years of Solitude, the near constant civil strife that the citizens of Macondo face during the Civil War was caused by a an armed rebel group, the Liberal Party. While the Liberal Party may have some legitimate grievances with the Conservative Party were these disagreements worth a bloody civil war? The same question now faces the ex-FARC leaders. Are their disagreements with the Government worth a bloody civil war? 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/colombia-duque-seeks-arrest-rearmed-farc-leaders-190829200112859.html

The Gift of Sight

In reading One Hundred years of Solitude I found Ursula to be a very interesting character. She fears/prophesizes that one day a child will be born with a pigs tail and the subsequent downfall of Macondo. Most people are very dismissive of these fears. Later in the Novel Ursula goes blind and is able to "see clearly the truths her busy life in former times had prevented her from seeing". This reminds me of Cassandra of ancient Greek writings. Cassandra, according to mythology, was a princess of Troy. She was cursed by the God Apollo to speak true prophesies but never be believe, just because she wouldn't sleep with him. She predicts the fall of Troy at the hands of Greeks armies yet everyone is dismissive of her. She even predicts her own murder yet no one helps her and consider her insane. Another point about Ursula is that she follows a common trope, The Blind Seer. There are many accounts of blind prophets in media from Tiresias, also from Greek mythology, to more modern interpretations like Cordelia Foxx from AHS: Coven. It's ironic in that these people are able to see clearly the truth, or what others can't, yet they lack normal vision. It doesn't take a blind old woman to see that things are bad in Macondo, they just needed to open their eyes to what was right in front of them.

The Cyclical Nature of One Hundred Years of Solitude and Sing Unburied Sing

Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, is a very condensed, complex novel that employs various elements of the struggle for Latin American Independence. However, when examined more closely, the novel is nothing more than a cycle of recurring events. When reading, I could not help but notice the cyclical nature of the book. Beginning with the creation of Macondo and the Buendia family, we see many repetitive characteristics, actions, and events that occur time and time again.

Much of the cyclical nature of the novel arises from the forgetting of the past. When one forgets or does not acknowledge their past, they are inclined to fall back into similar habits. This can be seen in many instances such as Colonel Aureliano Buendia’s creation of gold fish; he uses the gold to create these fish, but then melts them back down and starts all over. This gesture serves as a metaphor for the town of Macondo. Colonel Aureliano Buendia is not progressing by making these fish then melting them down, just as Macondo is not progressing by repeating the same “mistakes.” 

Another very apparent example is the repetition of names and character traits. Marquez writes, “While the Aurelianos were withdrawn, but with lucid minds, the Jose Arcadios were impulsive and enterprising, but they were marked with a tragic sign” (Marquez, 181).  Each generation of Aurelianos and Jose Arcadios posses specific characters that they obtain upon being given their name. Due to this, each successive generation falls into this same trap of making the same mistakes ultimately resulting in the creation of the pig’s tale.

On a similar note, this cycle of repetition can also be observed in Jesmyn Ward’s novel Sing Unburied Sing. Leonie, Jojo and Kayla’s mother, continues to make mistakes that force Jojo to take care of Kayla in a parental manner. Jojo is viewed not only as a brother, but also Kayla’s guardian. Leonie’s lack of maternal instinct is shown when she puts drugs and herself before her kids. Just as Leonie may have been becoming more mother-like, Michael gets out of jail, and she returns to her past behaviors. She uses drugs, abandons Kayla and Jojo, and exhibits childish behavior when Mam dies. Just as the town of Macondo frequently finds itself in old habits, so does Leonie.

Macondo Painting

 Painting:  https://mypleasuresofeden.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/macondo.jpg

This is a painting of an interpretation of the city, Macondo. It shows the beginning stages of Macondo and when it was first "discovered." It seems to be an innocent and happy place to live in this picture. The innocence displayed in the painting shows how Macondo was seen as a Utopian society and seemed to be perfect (until, of course, invaders came in). Also, the natural setting/elements of the painting and all of the animals may remind us of stories in the Bible. The stories of creation and specifically the Garden of Eden is portrayed to be similar to this specific painting of Macondo.