Biblical Allusions In Gabriel Garcia Marquezs One Hundred...

Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez grew up enthralled with tales of magic and fantasy, he enjoyed them so much so that he would dedicate his life to the creation of stories for others to enjoy. His passion for storytelling and use of magical realism would lead him to create his career defining novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude. On the surface it may appear a story that spans the timeline of the Buendia Clan and their intertwined fates but, through the use of biblical allusions throughout the novel his simple tale of a family becomes almost a retelling of the bible with a modern twist. Marquez expertly weaves in references to the unexplored paradise of the Garden of Eden, Satan’s temptation with the Tree of Knowledge, and lastly†¦show more content†¦Adam within the Book of Genesis is depicted as a man who cares deeply for the paradise he has been granted by god and aims to maintain the gift he was endowed. Jose himself takes responsibility to make sure that th e village he creates is one that thrives and remains for many years to come. Both display respect towards the gift they have been given as well the responsibility to maintain it. Although the intentions of both Jose and Adam are pure of heart towards the creation of their paradises they both eventually fall victim to their own devices, a subject that will discussed in the subsequent paragraph. Marquez continues his biblical references with the introduction of Melquà ­ades, the gypsy who brings knowledge to the village of Macondo. He acquires various technologies during his travels and shows them to Macondo’s citizens, whenever he visits during his journey. He enthralls them all on various occasions with magnifying glasses,alchemy and telescopes, the latter of which leads him to say to a crowd of onlookers â€Å"Science has eliminated distance,† Melquà ­ades proclaimed (Marquez 4). While it may appear to the reader that Melquà ­ades is blessing and introduces a necessity in science to Macondo he sets in motion the downfall of the Buendias as well as the village. The allusion Marquez uses for Melquà ­ades indicates the nefarious nature of the character himself. God warns Adam of the of the temptation that would present itself later on.Show MoreRelatedMany Cycles Differ Slightly From Year To Year, Decade To1269 Words   |  6 PagesMany cycles differ slight ly from year to year, decade to decade; for example, the climate, economies, and wars all follow their own rollercoaster-like paths that adjust slightly after each run. This pattern of repetition with a difference recurs throughout Gabriel Garcà ­a Mà ¡rquez’s magical realist novel One Hundred Years of Solitude. The story follows the generations of the Buendà ­a family in the town of Macondo. However, the spiral the family follows collapses inward on itself with each passingRead MoreEssay on The Seven Deadly Sins in One Hundred Years of Solitude1369 Words   |  6 Pageshelp but give in to the fact that biblical allusions do, in fact, exists in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude. According to Diane Andrews Henningfeld, an associate professor at Adrian College who has studied this novel and its ties to history and myths, some of the biblical allusions include the Garden of Eden, the story of Noah’s Ark, and certain characters being port rayed as archetypes. As I was going through different biblical aspects, one very interesting thought occurred