Active Reading: Chapter Three

ACTIVE READING: CHAPTER THREE

QUOTES
"So if you want to stay here like any other ordinary citizen, you're quite welcome. But if you've come to cause disorder by making the people paint their houses blue, you can pick up your junk and go back where you came from. Because my house is going to be white, like a dove."
Jose Arcadio Buendia is talking to Don Apolinar Moscote, who was a magistrate sent by the government to take some sort of control over Macondo. Jose Arcadio Buendia obviously was not happy with this move by the government and told Don Apolinar Moscote so himself. This started a small conflict between the government and Macondo.

Magical Realism
Melquiades returning from the dead to provide the towns people an antidote from their infliction of insomnia and memory loss.

Themes
The most apparent theme in chapter three is progress. Macondo expands after Ursula helps develop a path for people from other places to get there. The town develops and starts to grow in population. Religion also is shown as a theme, and Jose Arcadio Buendia tries to promote religion here in the town. Example: one of the signs put up for towns people to read says "God Exists".

Character Development
We are introduced to Pilar Ternera, who is the wife of Jose Arcadio and daughter-in-law of Jose Arcadio Buendia. She gives birth to Arcadio (son of Jose Arcadio and grand son of Jose Arcadio Buendia). Rebecca is introduced; she shows up at the family household one day and her past is unknown, so the family raise her as their own. Also Jose Arcadio Buendia develops into a man who takes much pride in his home and doesn't want outsiders interferring with the ruling of it.

Summary
In my opinion, the most interesting of the first three chapters is by far this one. Rebecca shows up to the family home and has insomnia, and this affliction eventually spreads through the entire town. The insomnia causes memory loss, and everything must be marked for the towns people to know what is what. Melquiades, who has somehow raised from the dead, uses his "gypsy connections" to get an antidote for everyone. Melquiades also brings a daguerreotype for Jose Arcadio Buendia, because he knows his fascination with technology and inventions. A magistrate from the government comes to town and orders the towns people to paint their homes blue. Irate, Jose Arcadio Buendia throws the magistrate out of town. When he returns, they make an agreement peacefully. Aureliano, one of Jose Arcadio Buendia's sons, falls in love with the magistrate's nine-year-old daughter.