Gabriel Garcia Marquez Research Paper

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, is very influential and considered one of the most significant authors of the Twentieth Century, somewhat contributing to his success was his usage of Magical realism in his writings. It was brought up by many historians that he became infatuated with stories based around the ‘magical’ creatures and element due to his grandmother telling him stories, “The house was filled with stories of ghosts, premonitions, omens and portents” (Saldivar 1997 pg. 97). Magical Realism consists of a magical element, whether being a creature or idea, playing a natural part in a realistic, ‘human’ environment. With Magical Realism and the way Gabriel Garcia Marquez writes there is a common theme that is prevalent consistently in many of
his stories. Sometimes Magical realism can lead to the ultimate form of isolationism, whether it is from societal isolation, or physical isolation, emotional isolation or self-isolation, all of these are predominant within the short stories of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Throughout many of the short stories written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez there is a predominate theme, this being Isolationism, this theme is especially preeminent in Montiel’s Widow, Artificial Roses and A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.
Montiel’s Widow harbors many forms of isolationism, self-induced almost to the point of self-imprisonment, solitude. After the sudden death of the husband only loved by his wife, whom was never named throughout the story, this event propels ‘Montiel’s Widow’ straight into the abyss of isolation. Due to the past actions of Montiel the whole town almost celebrates his death, only wishing that he could have died with shots in his back. In the very beginning of the short story it is said that Montiel’s Widow “She was sincere, that fragile woman, lacerated by superstition, married at twenty by her parents will to the only suitor they had allowed her to see at less than thirty feet, she had never been in direct contact with
reality.” (Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Montiel’s Widow, Paragraph 3). This is an example of how she was completely isolated from society even from reality, this displays how the death of her husband, her seemingly only link to the ‘real world’, how this would completely destroy her emotionally and mentally. He was literally the first person, or ‘suitor’ that she came into contact with, therefore basing all of her beliefs on human interaction, communication and human relationships off of this one person whom is not her parents. Therefore this could be a reason in which she cannot perceivably comprehend why the town is not sending her any flowers nor offering her their condolences for the passing of her husband, because she is holding him up on such a high pedestal, she cannot or will not accept the wrong doings of her husband. Her saying, “’I told you, Jose Montiel’ she was saying, talking to herself, ‘this is an unappreciative town. You are still warm in your tomb and the world has already turned its back on you.”, this only exemplifies the point in which was stated that she is in no touch with reality. Without the understanding of her surroundings and the events in which her husband played a major role in this is in itself a form or isolation,
Another form of isolation that is prevalent throughout the short story is self- isolation for example how Montiel’s Widow only talked to one person, the being Mr. Don Carmichael, and writing letters to her daughters. She had become so reclusive that she started forming bad habit which could possibly stem from the overwhelming sense of being alone. She started to chew her nails and she had stripped her house of anything, and decorated it with funeral ribbon. Another way that Gabriel Garcia Marquez could be implementing self-isolation, is the fact the she is super superstitious, when Mr. Don Carmichael walking in with the open umbrella and leaves it open to dry, this could be another factor in which leads to social isolation.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez uses the setting and the mood of the story to help represent and further the understanding of the characters isolation for example when she is describing October, “October was interminable with its swampy rains, and she felt lost sailing without direction in the chaotic and fabulous hacienda of Jose Montiel,” (GGM, Montiel’s Widow Paragraph 4) this is a projection of her feeling onto the setting or mood of the story, she has literally shut herself away from anyone, leaving her utterly destroyed, in a town full of people she was isolated for being Jose Montiel’s Widow, but also she isolates herself by locking herself into their home or hacienda. Almost as if she is locking herself away as a form of denial to what her husband has done or a form of denial to his death, she is locking herself as if she is in her own imagination and fantasies, example is when Montiel’s Widow is looking out the window on a Sunday morning, “She had spent the sad October mornings in front of the window in her room, sympathizing with the dead and thinking that if God had not rested on Sunday He would have had the time to finish the world properly” (GGM,MW paragraph 8)
Gabriel Garcia Marquez explores the idea of isolationism, by using a third person narration, this ‘voice’ being cold and somewhat detached sends a split between the reader and Montiel’s Widow further creating isolation for the character.
From not fully understanding her thoughts and why she believes what she does or the reason behind her actions there seems to be a disconnect between the reader and the character. With the third person narrative, it seems as if the ‘voice’ is unbiased in what it is presenting neither agreeing or disagreeing with anything, it is as it is just offering the story and not caring whether it is heard or understood. With that how, Montiel’s Widow remains unnamed throughout the whole story, could be a way that Gabriel Garcia Marquez is isolating the widow even from the readers, without reveling her name, there is only a certain degree that the reader can connect to the character without know the name. Could it be due to the lack of care from the people of the town that they don’t even seem to want to know her name, just call her ‘Montiel’s Widow’, this may be another example of how the society is isolating her or how Gabriel Garcia Marquez is isolating her from the readers. Gabriel Garcia Marquez seems to be exaggerating or using hyperbole when writing this story he creates this dimension in which, Mr. Don Carmichael is her only REAL interaction or connection the outside world, seems as if it’s a bit of an exaggeration, also how there seems be
nothing happening outside of the house, or even being mentioned seems like she is trapped in a forest by herself not hearing or seeing anything, also seems as if this is more of a parody of the extremes of isolationism.
In conclusion Gabriel Garcia Marquez, uses many aspects within the story to represent and identify the theme, isolationism. From the idea of her upbringing and how that contributed to the later societal isolationism due to the unyielding fondness of her husband and her lack of knowledge of his actions, she is later punished for his wrong doings in a sense. Through the detached voice of the narration of the story and how the character has no name, maybe not worthy of a name. He uses the setting to help further the understanding of isolation and how it may be affecting the character. Along with this he uses the diminishing relations between Mr. Don Carmichael to show her own self- isolation, and how she had no problem cutting off all contact with him. Every single part of this story, helps get an understanding of how isolation is a factor with in Gabriel Garcia Marquez writing.s