100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Perception of Time

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Time is often looked at as being linear and events happen at one moment in time and are not destined to be repeated, while time can be thought of as a loop or cycle. Gabriel Garcia Marquez takes this nonlinear point of view in 100 Years of Solitude. Throughout the book Marquez creates this sense of nonlinear time through different devices, like the way that he physically structures the book to the way he named the characters and his unique chronology that he employees throughout. This concept of time being a cycle rather than a n infinite and un repeating line is introduced into the book by Ursula who often feels that time has lapped over itself. “Ursula confirmed her impression that time was going in a circle.” (Pg. 221) she was watching Aureliano Triste sketch plans for the railroad that he was trying to bring it to Macondo. As Aureliano Triste drew these plans Ursula was the only character took notice of how Aureliano Triste had not only taken José Arcadio Buendía’s spot at the table where José Arcadio Buendía once sat drawing plans of his “death ray” but also taken his spot in time by repeating the same actions and patterns, of José Arcadio Buendía and his entrance into solidarity. Ursula also began seeing how many other Buendía men would fall into a similar fate to that of their predecessor. “Just like Aureliano,” Ursula exclaimed. “It’s as if the world were repeating itself.” (Pg. 297) this quote comes just after José Arcadio Segundo who had been switched at birth with his twin ad he José Arcadio Segundo was really supposed to be named Aureliano Segundo had gone missing. He does so after having an attempt made at his life which is identical to the actions of Colonel Aureliano Buendía after having his life threatened. Once Again Ursula is the only character how is conscious of these patterns and the repetitious cycle of time. Marquez repeated character

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