The situations in Love in the Time of Cholera are presented in an overly dramatized fashion, which makes the readers feel that this novel has transcended everyday realism. Though these situations may have been written to express the loving relationships of one another, they also seem too far-fetched. It is unrealistic and almost disturbing that Florentino would stalk and spy her early morning routines to compose and memorize pages of flattering commentary. As the novel progresses, we are saddened that these characters accept age and are nostalgic for the past–when they loved each other more than ever as compared to the future when their love gradually subsides. For example, Florentino views Urbino’s death as an opportunity to expect Fermina to love him as they did fifty years ago. Realistically, it would not be appropriate to try rekindling a past relationship after a loved one has died. In the early aspects of the novel, Florentino’s attempts to adulate Fermina seem as if it alluded to a fairy-tale love story. Though it seems romantic, their courtship shares a resemblance with Shakespeare’s plot in Romeo and Juliet, in that the two characters fear a publicly loving relationship. As Fermina is leaving for an expedition in Lorenzo’s attempts to erase her memory of him, the dramatized scene in which she cuts off her braid to give to him reminds me of “Repunzel.” Instead of depicting that his chance of uniting is possible, this scene symbolizes the end their opportunity of coming together.
Behind Urbino and Fermina’s conflicts are motives to digress in time when their relationship was in harmony. It is ironic to note that Dr. Urbino and Fermina have been married for so long, yet a trivial argument possibly could have broken their marriage. Their unwillingness to reconcile and to accept responsibility is completely contradictory to how much they love each other. As a result of their unwillingness to agree with each other, she threatens to return to her father’s house, hoping to relive the nostalgic time when Urbino treated her with tremendous amounts of care and kindness in his attempt to court her. However, Urbino’s childish antics only enraged Fermina more, which also subtly displays their desire to relive a time of the past when nothing disturbed their unconditional love. On the other hand, his deliberate vexing and annoyances of dressing and awaking Fermina suggest their disturbances within the marriage.
Throughout many of these situations, Marquez incorporates gratuitous descriptions that not only emphasize key elements of the novel, but also provide comical relief to a depressing plot of aging and rejection. This commentary enhances our understandings of what the characters are thinking. For example, the anecdote of young Urbino participating and winning urinating contests alleviates our depressing moods of his acceptance of progressing time and death. The comment in which Fermina accepts (agreeing to marry on the condition that he does not force her to eat eggplant) Florentino’s engagement proposal was odd, random, and unexpected. Exemplifying her slow changing disinterest early in the novel, this comment creates an effect that the love was progressing and gradually becoming mutual. At first she was indifferent to his love and ignored his letters, but once she realized Florentino’s devotion, she began to admire and adore him as she incessantly sent him letters. Marquez incorporated numerous subtle descriptions, which, with close scrutiny, allows us to receive an insight of the novel. (566)
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
The Compson Family Curse
The insidious curse cast upon the Compson family slowly tears its members apart and destroys their relationship. The curse lasts as long as the Compson family has suffered, because its members continue to reminisce about their life’s tragedies and chaos that haunted them. Being completely absorbed by their sense of narcissism, the Compson members become very self-conscious. As they feel obligated to the mandate of the strict Southern standards, the Compsons behave in a respectful manner and reject those who attempt to denigrate their nobly reputation within the community. However, instead of moving on with their lives, the family members appear to have been trapped in a time-warp. The family’s casting aspersions exacerbate hatred among each other, which results in their relationships to become irreconcilable and eventually ruined.
The absence of authoritative, caring, and insightful parents gives rise to the disruptions of harmonious relationships in the family. The parents’ dependence on Caddy and household servants to care for Bengy is an abdication of their parental responsibility. Without giving Caddy the proper guidance during her formative years, she begins to venture into sexual activity with different men at an early age. Her promiscuity is the beginning of the curse, which inevitably leads to the family’s separation. Because of her irresponsibility, individual family members are punished and greatly affected by her indiscretions.
Quentin, her brother, felt that he was obligated to protect his sister. His regret for failing to protect her from harms is accepted by Quentin as a personal disgrace to his reputation that eventually drove him insane. Instead of dealing with the problem, he wishes that they could escape the reality of the curse by fleeing together or ending it in a suicide. The curse manifested by his dysfunctional family and the ostracism of his sister continually taunts him; and therefore, he decided to escape it by drowning himself. Burdened with the guilt from the tragic death of his son, Quentin’s father lapses into of depression. Indirectly affected by the curse, Quentin’s father’s heavy drinking leads to his early demise within two years of his son’s death.
The hostile relationship among Jason, Miss Quentin, and mother Compson reveals the bitterness shown by the family to Caddy. We discussed this observation in class, in that Jason’s extreme animosity towards Miss Quentin stems from Caddy, who caused Jason to lose his opportunity to work in Herbert’s bank. Because of Caddy’s absence, he expresses his bitterness and hatred on Miss Quentin. Although mother agreed to accept Miss Quentin and nurture her, Miss Quentin too does not grow up with parental guidance. Because Miss Quentin is ostracized and ignored by her family, her character is a product of the family’s hatred of her mother Caddy. Without the guidance needed to distinguish right from wrong, Miss Quentin merely follows the influence of her mother’s iniquitous life-style. Deprived of mother-daughter contact, it further contributes to Miss Quentin’s noxious behavior demonstrated by her snobbish, rebellious, and irresponsible characters. I believe Miss Quentin would not become promiscuous like her mother had Caddy been allowed to visit and teach her regularly as a mother should. As exemplified in her caring for Bengy, Caddy is depicted as a parental figure. Thus, I would think that had she been allowed to take care of her daughter, Miss Quentin would not become a hussy. The family curse creates the tumultuous relationship in the Compson family, which leads to their tragic collapse of familial unity. (573)
The absence of authoritative, caring, and insightful parents gives rise to the disruptions of harmonious relationships in the family. The parents’ dependence on Caddy and household servants to care for Bengy is an abdication of their parental responsibility. Without giving Caddy the proper guidance during her formative years, she begins to venture into sexual activity with different men at an early age. Her promiscuity is the beginning of the curse, which inevitably leads to the family’s separation. Because of her irresponsibility, individual family members are punished and greatly affected by her indiscretions.
Quentin, her brother, felt that he was obligated to protect his sister. His regret for failing to protect her from harms is accepted by Quentin as a personal disgrace to his reputation that eventually drove him insane. Instead of dealing with the problem, he wishes that they could escape the reality of the curse by fleeing together or ending it in a suicide. The curse manifested by his dysfunctional family and the ostracism of his sister continually taunts him; and therefore, he decided to escape it by drowning himself. Burdened with the guilt from the tragic death of his son, Quentin’s father lapses into of depression. Indirectly affected by the curse, Quentin’s father’s heavy drinking leads to his early demise within two years of his son’s death.
The hostile relationship among Jason, Miss Quentin, and mother Compson reveals the bitterness shown by the family to Caddy. We discussed this observation in class, in that Jason’s extreme animosity towards Miss Quentin stems from Caddy, who caused Jason to lose his opportunity to work in Herbert’s bank. Because of Caddy’s absence, he expresses his bitterness and hatred on Miss Quentin. Although mother agreed to accept Miss Quentin and nurture her, Miss Quentin too does not grow up with parental guidance. Because Miss Quentin is ostracized and ignored by her family, her character is a product of the family’s hatred of her mother Caddy. Without the guidance needed to distinguish right from wrong, Miss Quentin merely follows the influence of her mother’s iniquitous life-style. Deprived of mother-daughter contact, it further contributes to Miss Quentin’s noxious behavior demonstrated by her snobbish, rebellious, and irresponsible characters. I believe Miss Quentin would not become promiscuous like her mother had Caddy been allowed to visit and teach her regularly as a mother should. As exemplified in her caring for Bengy, Caddy is depicted as a parental figure. Thus, I would think that had she been allowed to take care of her daughter, Miss Quentin would not become a hussy. The family curse creates the tumultuous relationship in the Compson family, which leads to their tragic collapse of familial unity. (573)
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