One Hundred Years of Solitude

• Genre: Fiction; magical realism; literary
• Originally Published: 1967
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1410L; college/adult
• Structure/Length: 20 chapters; approximately 417 pages; approximately 14 hours, 4 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: In this landmark work of magical realism, the central conflict revolves around the Buendía family in the fictional town of Macondo, Colombia, over the span of several generations. As the Buendía family faces various triumphs and tragedies, the story blurs the line between reality and fantasy, creating a narrative that is both epic and deeply introspective. The novel explores love, power, fate, and the cyclical nature of history.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Violence; suicide; sexuality (including incest); political and military unrest

Gabriel García Márquez, Author

• Bio: 1927-2014; Colombian author and Nobel laureate known for his contributions to magical realism and his impact on global literature; demonstrated lush prose and an ability to capture the surreal within the ordinary
• Other Works: Love in the Time of Cholera (1985); Chronicle of a Death Foretold (1981)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• The Nonlinearity of Time
• The Legacy of the Buendía Family
• Predictive Omens

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Gain an understanding of the literary, sociocultural, and historical contexts of the novel, including characteristics of magical realism and the settings of Latin America and Columbia.