One Hundred Years of Solitude Deeper-Thinking Questions
Austin Lewis
Weinberg
Deeper-Thinking Questions for One Hundred Years of Solitude
Pages 1-50
Why is Jose Arcadio Buendia so fascinated with the "inventions" of
Melquiades? Think about why these things seem, to him at least, more
important than his family.
What are Jose Arcadio's motivations for leaving with the gypsies?
Beyond the girl he met, beyond the impeding fatherhood, what
circumstances in Macondo drive him to leave?
What is your personal response to Ursula's unending strength? How do
you think she inspires herself to persevere?
Pages 51-100
What is the significance of the remodeling? How does the growth of
the house relate to that of the family members?
Do you think that Melquiades' formula for immortality worked?
Consider more forms of life than his own body.
What led to the fierce rivalry between Amaranta and Rebeca?
Pages 101-150
Why does Amaranta spurn the love of Pietro Crespi? Why does she deny
herself something she knows she greatly wants?
Why does Colonel Aureliano Buendia go of to war? Think about the
change from the clairvoyant boy to the army general.
Why do the men of the Buendia family have such an inexorable
attraction to Pilar Ternera?
Pages 151-200
Why is it that Amaranta and Aureliano Jose become involved? What is
it about her nephew that she can accept that she could not with Pietro
Crespi?
What is the significance of the pilgrimage of the Aurelianos? Why do
they all show up in such quick succession?
Why does Colonel Aureliano Buendia surrender so easily? What makes
him return to his former passive nature?
Pages 201-250
What is it about the work of the little gold fishes that so fascinates
Colonel Aureliano Buendia?
What is the significance of the siren-like nature of Remedios the
Beauty? How does this relate to her departure?
Why do Fernanda's parents insist on their impossible dream of making
their daughter a queen?
Pages 251-300
What does the banana company represent to the citizens of Macondo?
Why does Ursula take such pains to her review of past events? What
brings the onset of her sudden wisdom?
Why does Marquez abandon the foreshadowing of the death of Colonel
Aureliano Buendia?
Pages 301-350
Why does Fernanda object so strongly to her daughter's relationship?
How does this relate to Fernanda's upbringing?
Why does Fernanda hide her grandson from the world? Why does she seem
humiliated by even the smallest things?
What is the significance of the massacre and the subsequent
propaganda?
Pages 351-400
Explain the rage of Aureliano Segundo. Why does he only explode
once? Why is his anger so restrained?
What does the rancor of the post-deluge Macondo mean? How does this
relate to the Buendia family?
Why does Aureliano take such interest in the parchments of
Melquiades? Why do you think Aureliano is the one who finally
decrypts the cipher?
Pages 401-448
Throughout the book, several Buendias have been destroyed by excessive
wealth. What is the significance of Jose Arcadio, the last legitimate
Buendia, falling to the same vice?
What is the significance of Amaranta Ursula's return? Think about her
life up until her departure and her newfound European ways.
During the last moments of Macondo, Aureliano is finally able to read
the parchments. What is the significance of his revelations? Why does
Marquez end the book before Aureliano reads the last page?