Previous
Metaphors
Definition of Mood
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Mood
Explanation and Analysis:
A distinctly melancholy mood permeates One Hundred Years of Solitude, particularly in its depiction of the Buendía family and the town of Macondo. Though there are many happy moments and celebrations throughout the novel, its primary characters are often trapped by their pasts, haunted by memories and regrets. Colonel Aureliano Buendía’s countless failed uprisings, for instance, leave him with a profound sense of futility and despair. Years of fighting in the civil war lead to no notable changes in the nation’s politics, and in the end, he is disillusioned, living a frustrated, solitary existence.
As the title of the novel suggests, solitude is an important theme throughout the story, and Aureliano is by no means the only character to retreat into isolation. Banished from her family home after marrying her adoptive brother, who is later killed under mysterious circumstances, Rebeca spends years in isolation. When, after several decades, she is found to still be alive, she has spent so much time alone that she appears like a ghost from an earlier time, attempting to use money that is no longer legal tender. Ultimately, she refuses to even acknowledge the family that abandoned her so long ago.
The novel’s melancholy mood is furthered by its preoccupation with unfulfilled desires and unattainable dreams. Many characters experience profound longing and yearning that remain unfulfilled, leading to a sense of perpetual dissatisfaction. José Arcadio Buendía’s obsessive quest for knowledge and invention, for example, isolates him from his family and community, ultimately driving him to madness. Similarly, the loves and passions of various Buendía family members, such as the ill-fated romance between Amaranta and Pietro Crespi, often end in tragedy or unfulfilled potential. As the story moves across seven generations of the Buendia family, detailing the tragic fates of many of its members, this sense of melancholy gradually deepens, as the once-empty cemetery in Macondo fills up.
Related Themes:
