Chapter 14

Magical Realism

The fact that Ursula stays in her bed for such a long time is a magical realism. The book makes it seem that she never gets up. So how does she eat? How does she uses the bathroom? How does she wash. Of course she has Armanta Ursula coming to visit her but yet and still she can't be there all the time to help her with these needs.









Character

Armanta seems to go through the most changes in this chapter because not only does she have to prepare for her departure from the body but she also is aware of the fact that she will be dying as a virgin. It isn't a bad thing but it is kind of hurtful and depressing to her because she never settled down with someone or started a family, and got a chance to be truly and completely happy.








Summary

Everyone is in mourning over Colonel Buendia's death but yet it isn't stopping anyone from "popping" babies. Fernanda and Segundo have another child named Armanta Ursula. Unfortunately Armanta, who is the only child of Ursula left, is slowly going out of her mind by dwelling on the past. She also sees other future events including her death causing her to prepare for her funeral. She tells everyone about her death and when she will die and promises to take whatever letters the town has to those who have passed. Sadly Armanta dies at the time she says she would and still is a virgin. Because of her last child leaving her, Ursula once again goes into depression and stays in her bed for many many years, whit frequent visits from her great-great granddaughter Armanta Ursula. Meanwhile Armanta Ursula is growing to have the same instincts and interest as her father, but Fernanda insists that she plays an instrument. Even through her forced activities she has close relationship with Aureliano Segundo. She also learns English from a few Americans who also become her friends. As time goes on she falls for one the foreigners on the banana plantation named Mauricio Babilonia. They become closer and tend to go out, but it is all ended when they are caught kissing in the movies by Fernanda. Meme is then cooped up in her house. Yet they don't let Fernanda's actions stop them. Mauricio creeps over to their house to make love to Meme every night and yet they are caught again, so Fernanda puts a guard in the backyard. Persistently he tries again to see Meme, but his attempt is fatal and he is shot by the guard.

Quote

"Go away.......You've got no reason to come calling on any decent person"

"He's a very strange man........You can see in his face that he's going to die."

These two quotes are significant to showing the way that Fernanda feels about Mauricio and how she is determined to keep him away from her daughter.

Theme

Gloom- This seems to be the theme of the chapter because of the depression Ursula goes into, the death of Armanta, as well as the killing of Mauricio who Meme falls in love with.