The Time Spectrum

                Throughout the novel, Marquez plays with the concept of time to show that the past, present, and future are linked and simultaneously relevant. Marquez forces the reader to constantly consider the idea of time by sharing images of the future of Macondo and its people, the repetition in character names and traits, and giving Aureliano, Pilar, and Melquiades an ability to sense the future.

                The novel opens with Colonel Aureliano facing a firing squad; this motif is then repeated as we read about him growing up in Macondo. The flashes forward to the firing squad give us hints about young Aureliano’s future, and the events that will lead to the firing squad. For example, we learn that there will be a second civil war (24), and we also know that Aureliano is wearing the same boots from his wedding, and thinks about his late wife when he’s facing execution (91). Other scenes of the future are presented to us, like that of the immortal almond trees whose history is a mystery in a Macondo with wooden houses and tin roofs (40). By keeping the reader in touch with the future, Marquez reminds us that all actions have their consequences. Colonel Aureliano reflects that he doesn’t fully understand the “series of subtle but irrevocable accidents” that lead to his situation (98).

                Marquez also shows the conservation of the past in the present through a repetition of family names. Clear to the reader, Jose Arcadio Buendia’s name is carried down through generations. The names call back to the family heritage, but even more important are the traits that children take from their parents. Jose Arcadio is said to have his father’s character, but lacks a similar imagination, while Aureliano has a fearless curiosity like his father’s (15). These shared traits though don’t create the same destinies. From Arcadio’s characterization, the reader expects the large, strong man to become an important leader over his introvert of a little brother.

                Finally, predictions and premonitions are strung throughout the novel. Pilar is a fortune reader, and Colonel Aureliano gets periodic feelings of things to come. The most important, however, is Melquiades, a near-immortal who spends his time deciphering Nostradamus’ predictions. The gypsy comes and goes, always bringing new technologies to the town, but with Jose Arcadio Buendia, he tries to map out the future, and at times, seems to have done so. Melquiades serves as a connection to the present outside of Macondo, a bridge to the future through technologies and predictions, and his ghost is a reminder of the past.