Chapter 5

“Thereupon, Father Nicanor rose six inches above  the Level of the ground.” Pg 82. This is magical realism, because one cannot levitate after drinking a cup of chocolate. In real life it is not possible. However, in the novel. It seemed like an everyday circumstance. They were no moved or surprise, they honestly believed Father Nicanor when he said it was the power of God. It was as if, he had done so before, after somebody else’s wedding.

Many characters have developed and changed. Aureliano Buendia- He has changed quite abit. He has now married, the woman of his dreams, who is Remidios. He is happy and content. His child with Pillar Ternera is also born, and they take him as their first born son. Rebeca- falls even more in love with Pietro Crispi, until one fine day Jose Arcadio returns, and she has an affair with him, and marries him instead/ Which was not only a disgrace to her, but also a disgrace to her whole family. Ursula Igurian- She feels that her world is turning upside down. She is more down trodden, tired and sad. She no longer has joy or hope.

In chapter 4, Jose Arcadio Buendia remains tied to a tree, because he is still crazy. He even tells people that he thinks, that his family thinks he is crazy. Aureliano Buendia married the girls of her dreams, but she then died, after she was ill for a few days. She died with twins in her stomach. Amaranta took in the baby as her own. Rebecca continued her relationship with Pietro Crispi, until she slept with Jose Arcadio. They were married a few days later at the 5 pm mass.      They were then exiled from the town, for the shameful act. Aureliano was then convinced into the military, and he was the one keeping watch, when the army was beating up and killing people. He then became Colonel Aureliano Buendias. He left to embark on his journey.

“ And I have come to tell you, not to bother with Rebecca again.” Pg 92. This quote stood out, because it showed gravity of the innocence that was taken away from the town. This is because Jose Arcadio is committing a form of legal incest by marrying Rebecca. No one, is happy with it, yet they seem content. It also shows how cruel one can be to another. Pietro made sure he kept coming back, yet Rebeca chose her brother over him. “Pietro Crispi asked her to marry him.” Pg 94. This stood out, because now Pietro Crispi is marrying his ex girl friend’s sister, which would make things more complicated. No one, it seems will ever be happy.

Isolation in this case could have been a good thing. If they were completely isolated and Jose Arcadio did not leave, he may have not gotten these ideas of marrying Rebecca into his head, because he would have grown up with her as his sister, and would have loved her like one. Even though the marriage between Rebeca and Jose Arcadio seems ugly and disgusting, they are one of the only happy people in the novel. They love each other, and they are content for now. So this is a beautiful thing. Even in this mundane simple life, Jose Arcadio and Rebecca were able to marry. This is wrong and uncivilized. Father Nicanor, even initiated the wedding, which is even worse, and he was able to levitate after drinking chocolate which is not something one sees often.