Deeper Thinking Questions
Marla Westervelt
he placing this novel at the beginning of civilization? Or, is it just
a way to make the story more mystical?
2. Who is Rebeca? Who sent her to the family?
3. Where is José Arcadio? Will he come back and claim his child? Has
he left Macondo forever?
4. Where does José Arcadio Buendía's thirst for progress come from?
Why is he willing to throw himself in to a state of solitude to
achieve such progress?
5. Why would they choose to tie José Arcadio Buendía to a tree rather
than kill him?
6. What is the significance of memory in the book? The entire town
loses it's memory at one point, and at another point Colonel Buendia
becomes unemotional and no longer has memories. Do memories and
solitude have some sort of connection?
7. Why can't Amaranta accept a suitor rather than dealing with the
unwanted solitude of being alone?
8. Why will the ash not wash off of the Aureliano's foreheads?
9. Why is Remedios the Beauty so oblivious to the world around her? Is
this supposed to be making a statement about the relationship of
intelligence and outward apperances?
10. What is the signficance of yellow?
11. Why is there so much tragedy in the Buedia family? It seems that
in the short hundred years the Buedias are subjected to more than
their fair share of tragedy. Is this to point out the more subtle
tragedies in all of our lives?
12. Why is the massacre forgotten? Is this a symbol of the forgotten
tragedies in history that just seem to be "washed" away?
13. What is the significance of Jose's dream of a town of mirrors?
14. Why is the family so prone to incest?
15. How is Ursula able to survive for so long in a family that is
ruled by tragedy and un-timely death?
destiny woods
English 407-2
Summer Assignment- Deeper Thinking Questions
Pages 1-51 1.) In what ways are the title of the novel and the theme
of "solitude" significant to Macondo and the Buendias?
2.) How does Ursula's fear of having children later affect her when
she does have children?
3.) What is the significance of Rebeca eating dirt? Is the saying "you
are what you eat" a good philosophy to use in analyzing this character
or her emotional state?
Pages 52-103 1.)What is Jose Arcadio Buendia looking for? Why is he
always so busy, restless and without peace?
2.) Was the pendulum machine (in the speech about it never being able
to "allow men to fly because, although it can lift anything into the
air, it can't lift
itself"), Jose Arcadio Buendia's way of expressing how he sees
himself? Does he feel at this point that he can only do so much for
his family and Macondo, but can't do anything for his own wellbeing?
3.) Why is Ursula bitter towards Jose Arcadio and Rebeca's marriage,
(keeping in mind that their aren't really related), but accepting to
Crispi wanting
to be with Amaranta?
Pages 103-153 1.)Was there any significant connection between the
Liberal v. Conservative division in Macondo and the Love v. Discord
division in the Buendia household? 2.) Is Ursula's
bitterness of any relation to the "solitude" theme?
3.) Why does Marquez (author) continuously talk about "nostalgia"? Is
this connected in any way to the "solitude" theme?
Pages 153-203 1.) If the Buendias gave their children different names,
(such as Marlano instead of Jose), would the stronghold of solitude
end?
2.) Why would Aureliano want to start a new war after all of the
issues he went through after the first one?
3.) How come Ursula won't get rid of the lab? What is significant
about it?
Pages 203-253 1.) In what ways does solitude allow people to live
incredibly long lives?
2.) What is the significance of Colonel Aureliano Buendia refusing
heroic honors?
3.) Why is the relationship between family names and personality vital
in the novel?
Pages 253-303 1.) Usually, people live longer lives when they have
something to live for. What is it about the Buendias that reverses
this nature of life?
2.) Why didn't they bury Jose Arcadio Buendia?
3.) Why do the mothers of Colonel Aureliano Buendia give their
children over to Ursula and Amaranta to raise? Why don't they raise
them themselves?
Pages 303-353 1.) In what ways does Meme break the curse/ tradition of
solitude?
2.)Is solitude really a "curse'?
3.) What significance is there in Gabriel Garcia Marquez (author)
repeating the fact that Amaranta was sowing her shrowd?
Pages 353-403 1.)What was the significance of Jose Arcadio Segundo
repetitiously talking about the dead on the train?
2.) Does the fact that Amaranta Ursula wasn't raised in the Macondo
explain why she wasn't as depressed and bitter as other Buendias?
3.) If "races condemned to one hundred years of solitude" didn't have
a second opportunity on earth, then why were there ghosts consistently
floating around the house?
Destiny R. Woods