Last blog on One Hundred Years

I wish we had another week or so to discuss this phenomenol book. THere are so many things to look at and explore that are pertenent to the story. We did have a lot of cool discussions on the author and his story. I really enjoy having philosophical discussions in this class because most teachers dont want to risk offending someone. I think this story does require some difficult thinking. I was thinking after class about what we talked about regarding Remedios the Beauty and her heavenly ascention. I feel as though she is definately pure. I have to say something about the idea that children are born inherinently evil or sinners. If the Catholic church really believes that I am questioning my descion of having my son attend church. I believe that children are born pure and that they are taught to be cruel and taught to lie. I think that Remidios resembles the simple purity of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. She is the only character who avoids death and is taken directly to heaven. This book has definately made me question the Catholic church. I believe that Garcia Marquez created this book as a comment on the bible and organized religion. The bible is up for discussion as to whether the events inside are real and actually occured. All these character repeat the mistakes of their forefathers and seem to be doomed to continue doing so. It seems as if Marquez comments on the human race. The race will continue to repeat the same mistakes over and over and over until the earth as we know it implodes. You would think that with all the horrible things that humans have done to each other and to the earth over the thousands of years we have existed the human race would realize the negative outcomes of all these things. The last sentence of the story "...he would never leave . . . races condemned to one hundred years of solitude did not have a second opportunity on earth." The curse of this family just like the curse of the human race ultimately leads to the demise. In addition, Ursula and Jose Buendia,the Adam and Eve figures of Moncando, develop this entire family and are ultimately responsible for their creation. In the end I feel that Aureliano II and Amaranta Ursula's incest brings this family full circle, the last event before the end of Moncando and the Buendia family. THe discussion of time in this story means nothing. I dont think that time is an important aspect of life. In this book time runs concurrent. Past, present and future swirl into an empty abyss. Before the ultimate end of the town and the family the town experiences some sort of plague, maybe similar to the plague of Egypt. They experience five years of rains followed by a time of horrible heat. These natural occurances may be punishment to those sinners living in the town. Was this towns desinty predetermined? I think that Marquez's development of this story is awe inspiring. I thought that Aureliano's depiction of the massacre of the banana workers was interesting. It seemed like he had a different idea of what occured than other people and it just seemed as though his depiction was swept under the rug. I couldnt believe that no one seemed to care about this tradgedy excpet him . It seemed as this occurance really blended the line between reality and fantasy. The truth sometimes seem less true than fiction. Overall I believe that this story has been one of the best I have ever read. I definately have a ton more ideas and wish we could discuss more...