CHPTS 5 & 6 Active Reading

Chapter 5

Summary

After Remedios finally becomes a woman, she gets married. Rebeca’s wedding was suppose to happen at the same time ,but the husband to be was called off by an ”urgent letter” saying that his mother was on her death bed. The letter turns out to be a lie and Amaranta is accused of it so that the marriage would be delayed. Remedios provides to more of a saint than anyone else in the house by deciding to raise Aureliano’s son as her own. He is named Aureliano José. Not too long after they are married, Remedios dies of a suddenly. This pushes the wedding of Rebeca and Pietro Crespi back even further because they can’t be married while the household is mourning. The building of the city’s first church hinders their wedding as well. The priest who is building the church believes that José Arcadio Buendía’s so called madness is not as severe as everyone thinks. What he is saying isn’t nonsense, but fluent Latin.

José Arcadio brings the ends to the delay and the sadness of death. He is even bigger and stronger than he was and is now covered with tattoos. Even though she’s engaged to Pietro Crespi, Rebeca is intrigue by José Arcadio’s undeniable masculinity, and they begin having an affair which ends in marriage. This also leads to them being kicked out of the house. Romance soon grows between Amaranta and Pietro.

Aureliano is now concerned, not with death of his young wife, but that of the impeding war between the Conservatives and the liberals. Aureliano allies himself with the Liberals because he is upset at what the Conservatives are trying to do. When war breaks and the town are occupied by the Conservative army, Aureliano leads the rebellion, and eventually conquers the town for the Liberals. He becomes known as Colonel Aureliano Buendía. Eventually, he becomes the leader of the Liberal armies.


Characters

Aureliano – Thinks about the greater good and worries about the pending war. He soon aligns himself with the liberals and becomes a Colonel.

Jose Arcadio – He is a still a beast and is the cause of Rebeca not marrying Pietro

Amaranta – She shows that she is true to her word and tries to sabotage the marriage

Quotes

“Now we shall witness an undeniable power of God” – Father Nicanor p.82

“Not madness. War. And don’t call me Aurelito anymore. Now I’m Colonel Aureliano Buendia” – Colonel Aureliano Buendia p.101

Theme

Realization of Truths

The Realization of Truths plays an important role in this section. It’s shown by all of the characters now. We come to know of Rebeca’s infidel ways and that J.A.B. isn’t crazy, but is speaking fluent Latin now. Aureliano realizes what he wants to stand and fight for in life. All hold these to be self-evident and are received differently by their families and friends.

Life is shown by Aureliano surviving the death attempts.


Magical Elements

The unnatural beastliness of characters exhibits is something that isn’t quite real. It begins with Jose Arcadio returning. He is described as something not human almost as a demi-god. With his swagger alone he steals Rebeca away.


Chapter 6

Summary

Colonel Aureliano Buendía leaves Macondo and joins the national civil war effort. He becomes the father of seventeen children around the country as he fights the good fight. He leaves his nephew, Arcadio, in charge of the town in his absence. Arcadio soon becomes a cruel dictator. He tries to sleep with his own mother, she sends him a young virgin named Santa Sofía de la Piedad. They marry and have three children: Remedios the Beauty, Aureliano Segundo, and José Arcadio Segundo.

The Conservatives retake the town after they win the war and Arcadio is executed by a firing squad. Pietro Crespi proposes marriage to Amaranta, but he is denied, and he kills himself. She burns her hand and covers it with the black bandage that she will wear until her death.

Characters

Aureliano – Shows a more intuitive side by standing up for what he believes in and going to fight for it.

Arcadio – He is a tyrant of man he shows his father’s qualities internally

Amaranta – She shows wickedness and doubt by treating Pietro like that, but tries to repent by burning her hand.

Quotes

“We leave Macondo in your care” – Aureliano p.104

“You Murderer!” – Ursula p.105

Theme

Life/Death

In the beginning of the chapter it speaks of all Aureliano’s bastard children and how they were all killed before they met a certain age. Also, the attempts on Aureliano’s life are stated. This leads to the murderous atrocities of Arcadio.

Life is shown by Aureliano surviving the death attempts.

Doing what you believe

It sounds odd but a lot is based on what ideas certain characters have about themselves and what should be done. Earlier in the book the Colonel is presented as somewhat of a geek. He works hard and studies in his lab, but now he is a warrior standing up and fighting for what he believes is right.

This also goes for Arcadio. Even though he is a cruel dictator he goes after what he believes is right even though in our eyes and the citizens of Macondo eyes he is wrong.

Magical Elements

Amaranta going to such extremes to “repent” for poor decision making seems also a little off. This seems to be an indirect reference to a Scarlet Letter of sorts.