Jose Arcadio Buendia is my favorite character, in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ One Hundred Years of Solitude. An interesting dynamic of Jose’s character is how the element of magical realism becomes so prevalent in his death.
Jose Arcadio Buendia happens to be living the last years of his life tied to a chestnut tree, while communicating with his best friend Prudencio Aguilar. Prudencio was once killed and has returned from the solitude of death.It’s inconceivable that one can even survive, much less have some quality of life tied to a chestnut tree. And when Aureliano’s premonition of his father’s death forces the family to bring the old man back in the house, the “habit of his body” compels him back to the chestnut tree. Although Jose Arcadio isn’t conventionally happy the process of him dying shows a great paradigm of magical realism. There seemed to be a certain kind of happy aura surrounding Jose Arcadio’s death.
Marquez describes this sentiment as, “light rain of tiny yellow flowers [begins] falling” and continues to fall, so many flowers that “in the morning the streets were carpeted with the compact cushion and they had to clear them away with shovels and rakes so that the funeral procession could pass by” (140). The abundance of small yellow flowers is a form of imagery to depict sense of peacefulness and tranquility. This great use of a literary device evokes the reader’s ability to create his or her own interpretations. For instance when imagining the quote I think of peaceful times in Macondo.The quote is so meaningful in my opinion because it can make the reader think of so many possible different images. I also see the yellow flowers and a nostalgic reminiscing of playful times of my childhood.
The quote really resonates with me because I love reading vague literature, not because of the ambiguity in direct meanings but the connectivity among readers from it. The quote is great because in a way it addresses the concept of time. Jose’s flashback of considering suicide refers to how the story may be repeating it’s self.In Macondo there is a possibility of forgetting, the past threatens the coherence of society and relationships. Amnesia strikes Macondo early in the novel, and later, all memory of a massacre is eliminated.
Moreover the passing of Jose Arcadio’s death has an effect on all the people of Macondo. Marquez really shows the power of magical realism when showing the towns reaction to the death. This elucidation is noted as, “A short time later, when the carpenter was taking measurements for the coffin, through the window they saw a light rain of tiny yellow flowers falling.They fell on the town all through the night in a silent storm, and they covered the roofs and blocked the doors and smothered the animals who slept outdoors. SO many flowers fell from the sky that in the morning the streets were carpeted with a compact cushion and they had to clear them away with shovels and rakes so that the funeral procession could pass by"(153).
Marquez’ emphasis on the people’s reaction of Jose Arcadio’s death shows his relevance and importance to the town and people of Macondo.
