Saturday, August 25, 2018
Macondo's Old Ways and Moderndity
In class, we had a group discussion on how Macondo is portrayed in within the first few chapters. The story opens up with a supposed discovery of ice which shows that there is evidence of underdevelopment within the society. Not only that, but the book also presents readers with socialistic/communistic ideas and the book shows characters such as Jose Arcadio Buendia and Malquiades pursuing the study of alchemy. Also, Jose Arcadio Buendia is upset by the arrival of the Mascotes especially when Don Mascote thinks that every house should be painted blue. Jose Arcadio Buendia in this sense is refusing government intervention and wants nothing but for Macondo to remain the way it already was. However, this does not happen. Macondo changes due to many factors such as the Liberal and Conservatives conflict, the church, and the banana company, all of which is a result of Macondo not staying true to its roots and becoming one with the idea of modern society.
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To follow up on Rico's post, I would like to comment on the progressiveness of Colombia present day, contrasting with the idea of Macondo's struggle to become one with modern society. I believe that Colombia presently beats the comparative model of Macondo that Marquez created, for as the years go on, it's clear that Colombia is learning to work past their identity rooted in violence.
In studying "100 Years of Solitude" and the history behind it, it becomes clear to me that Latin American nations are mistaken by being considered a whole entity rather than separate individual states. Much of Colombia’s history, for example is so entirely separate from other Latin American histories that we are aware of. Rather, Latin America should be perceived as separate national states with differing identities. I believe that the stereotype that claims that Latin American nations are fundamentally the same is incredibly incorrect. For example, the economies of much of Latin America are sadly failing, whereas Colombia's is flourishing: 2nd only to Argentina’s.
Another thing I thought about after our recent class discussions is how the Colombian government is presently recovering in response to the violence that is known to define Colombia’s national identity. In doing general research on Colombia, I found that Colombia in fact happens to be one of the most progressive nations in Latin America, specifically in government. For example, regardless of the known attitude of Latin American “machismo,” or male-domination, women are gaining representation and legitimate participation in particular career tracks, especially in the realm of business. Around 60% of the Colombian workforce is made up of women. That of course, however, excludes the presence of the economy that exists within drug cartels, but with such an example, it becomes clear that Colombia is working past the cyclic nature their nation has been known for for too long.
Article link I referred to: www.huffingtonpost.com/adele-gulfo/the-crucial-role-of-women_b_3780363.html
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