In my first year of college, I was eager to make friends, so I took every opportunity to meet new people. One day, I spotted a portable outdoor sign in front of the literature club. It announced that the book discussion group would be reading and discussing “One Hundred Years of Solitude” that month. As you probably know, Márquez’s masterpiece is a cornerstone of modern literature.
I had already devoured the book and practically underlined every line, so I thought, “Why not join the discussion? It’s a great chance to chat about something I love.”
The outdoor sign said the meeting would be at 4 p.m. the next day, which gave me plenty of time to visit the library and revisit my favorite passages. If you haven’t read the book, let me give you a brief overview:
“One Hundred Years of Solitude” chronicles the lives of seven generations of the Buendía family in the fictional town of Macondo.
Macondo is found by the father of the family Jose Arcadio Buendia, when he left Colombia with his wife for a better life.
“One Hundred Years of Solitude” chronicles the lives of seven generations of the Buendía family in the fictional town of Macondo. The town was founded by José Arcadio Buendía, who left Colombia with his wife in search of a better life. During their journey, while camping on a riverbank, José dreams of Macondo—a city of mirrors—and becomes determined to bring it to life.
Once Macondo is established, the Buendía family experiences a series of strange and extraordinary events. Despite their efforts, the family members are unable to escape the cycle of misfortunes that plagues them. In the end, a hurricane wipes out Macondo, and a Buendía descendant deciphers a cryptic message that had stumped generations before him. The message reveals the secrets of the family’s fate, recounting every joy and tragedy they endured.
The next day, I arrived at the literature club just before 4 p.m., and the outdoor easel was still there, pointing the way. Feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness, I walked in and was greeted by a boy with glasses who welcomed me warmly and suggested I grab a coffee. Around 10-12 students were seated, and at exactly 4 p.m., the boy with glasses kicked things off with an opening speech.
We didn’t simply rehash the story. Instead, we each took turns sharing our feelings about the book, the metaphors we discovered, and the symbols that resonated with us. I learned some fascinating facts during that discussion:
– Márquez began his career as a journalist and decided one day to write a novel inspired by his childhood in his grandparents’ house.
– To support his family while writing, he sold his car, and nine months later, “One Hundred Years of Solitude” was born.
– In 1982, Márquez won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
– The book has been translated into more than 30 languages.
I’m so glad I decided to attend that day because it led to many more enriching book discussions. Oh, and one more thing—I’m now dating that boy with the glasses!