100 Years of Solitude ch. 11-15

I wanted to talk about the female characters in the current chapters because I think they all stand for something in the novel thus far. First I will discuss Fernanda opposed to Petra and what roles they play. Fernanda is uptight and religious. She is also not very nice, understanding or caring. The religious aspect is not seen as a good quality about her because it seems as if she takes life too seriously. Although she is very beautiful and Aureliano S. decides to marry her he has a mistress/concubine on the side, Petra. Petra is rewarded in life by having the ability to promote fertility, in almost a magical way. For this reason Aureliano wants her around because she makes him a lot of money, through the raffling of the animals. These two women are opposites of each other. It is interesting that Petra who does not practice religion has the best luck, it is almost a gift from above, and Fernanda who does follow religion to a tee is unhappy and rigid.

This is interesting timing because it is around the time that modernity is taking over Macondo. Petra could represent the old way of Macondo and Feranda could represent the new ways taking over. Petra is the last of the residents who believe in the magical aspects that the town once had, while Fernanda buys into the new customs.

Remedios the Beauty is also an interesting character. She also does not seem to understand Macondo becoming more modern, in that she does not become excited by it. She also does not take a lover because she begins to understand that her beauty drives men insane and to their death. She remains innocent. Then one day she just floats back to the heavens. I see this as she was just too good to live in the world that Macondo has become. This is like a symbol of the change that takes place in Macondo and now there is nothing left of the world that Macondo use to be.