Discussion Questions

1. How might one argue that One Hundred Years of Solitude is a realistic novel, despite its fantastic and magical elements?

2. What is the attitude of One Hundred Years of Solitude toward modernity? What is its attitude toward tradition?

3. The famous critic Harold Bloom calls One Hundred Years of Solitude “The Bible of Macondo.” To what extent is this true? To what extent does One Hundred Years of Solitude pattern itself after—or diverge from—the Bible?

4. In what ways can One Hundred Years of Solitude be seen as a fable about the history of human civilization?

5. How does García Márquez use symbolism in One Hundred Years of Solitude? To what extent does the novel function as a network of symbols, allegories, and parables; to what extent can it stand on its own as a narrative?

6. One Hundred Years of Solitude is a vastly ambitious book, attempting to bridge many dualisms and appeal to many audiences: it is both general and particular, both realistic and magical. Is the book successful in its attempts to encompass such a vast scope of experiences and voices? What are the narrative shortcomings of One Hundred Years of Solitude?

7. With which character in One Hundred Years of Solitude do you most identify? Why? Is there any character in the novel who is wholly admirable, anyone who is wholly evil?

8. What do you think is the novel’s understanding of human nature? Is it a fundamentally optimistic novel? To what extent does García Márquez believe that love is possible?

9. To what extent is the novel’s title, One Hundred Years of Solitude, an important commentary on the narrative in the book? What connections does the book make between knowledge and solitude? Is solitude an unavoidable condition of human nature?

10. To what extent do you think that One Hundred Years of Solitude is a novel particularly concerned with Latin American culture and politics? To what extent is it a novel designed to appeal broadly to all readers?