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Gabo's Message of Solitude

By Tamara K. Sellman and Susan Deefholts
Other Examples of Solitude
The sense of solitude doesn't begin and end with Macondo. Consider these other dimensions of isolation:
  • The madness of Macondo founder and great solitary figure José Arcadio Buendía who loses touch with reality in his impassioned search for the truth
  • The incestuous nature of the Buendía family, which prevents the community from assimilating with the larger world, leading to the family's eventual decay
  • The curious presence of Melquíades, an alchemist from somewhere else who, being described as a Gypsy, belongs to no one
  • The infidelities of the Buendía men, which desecrate familial relationships, leading to exile from and within the family
  • The infusion of outside culture by way of modern industry, which introduces the false glitter of foreign wealth at the expense of Macondo's collective memory and language
  • The ostracism visited upon the town and even between families through the political differences of liberals and conservatives

Perhaps there are also some others. Don't hesitate to discuss with your book club or come up with some on your own!

Courtesy of http://www.magical-realism.com MARGIN: Exploring Modern Magical Realism