Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera is a story in which the reader quickly takes the side of the underdog, Florentino Ariza, whose devastating love (68) for Fermina Daza comes to overshadow every aspect of his life. In sharp contrast with the womanizer Dr. Juvenal Urbino, Florentino Ariza is, "very thin, with Indian hair plastered down with scented pomade and eyeglasses for myopia, which added to his forlorn appearance" (54). As the novel progresses, the reader sees that the love Florentino has for Fermina Daza cannot compare to that of Dr. Urbino. However, when Fermina claims that her love for Florentino was, "nothing more than an illusion" (102), the reader's heart breaks with Florentino's. Despite Florentino's everlasting love, he doesn't seem to be good enough for Fermina. However, Fermina's character is a bit more complex than it seems. When her mother dies when Fermina is only a young child, she is prematurely forced into adulthood. She learns that being dependent on someone can only lead to disappointment, thus making it impossible to put complete faith in a man she only knows to be a telegraph operator and a violinist. When her Aunt Escolastica is forced to leave her, she once again experiences feelings of solitude. Only after this loss does she realize that, "one could be happy not only without love, but despite it" (87).
Fermina has trained herself to be a distant person. According to Hildebranda, Fermina’s cousin, Fermina was an “old maid of twenty” and “devoted to killing time” (129-130). Fermina attempts to occupy her mind doing menial chores in order to fill the gap of loneliness in her life. Similarly, she used Florentino as an outlet for her isolation. However, unknowingly, her curiosity turned into feelings of love. “These unexpected, almost childish antics caused an unfamiliar curiosity in Fermina Daza, but for several months it did not occur to her that it could go any further” (58). Once she sees that she is being dependent on another individual, Fermina becomes scared.
The relationship between Fermina Daza and her father is also key to understanding Fermina’s character. The death of Fermina’s mother causes Lorenzo Daza to change his state of mind. His goal was to, “turn his daughter into a great lady” (81). Lorenzo Daza’s desire to protect Fermina also leads to his increased strictness. He has an idealized vision for his daughter. With his expectations set so high, Fermina simply cannot afford to be second best. Once Florentino Ariza appears in the picture, Lorenzo Daza must do all that he can to protect his daughter from the potential distraction.
The many people that come in and out of Fermina Daza’s life greatly shape her character. She becomes self-sufficient, distant, and even at times, unsympathetic. She attempts to disguise her love for Florentino to hide her weakness, leading her to deal with that mistake for the next fifty years of her life. Her father’s desire for perfection weakens her morale, and even transforms her into a machine. Fermina's disposition becomes so cold that Florentino's vow of "perfect fidelity and his everlasting love" (61) is not quite enough (522).
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Friday, November 2, 2007
Neglected
Last week, I wrote a blog on my favorite character from William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury. However, after reading the Jason section, I’m not sure if I agree with last week’s entry. Now I’m not saying that Jason is a likeable character, I just think that his actions are sometimes misunderstood. His bitterness towards his family is a result of being neglected during childhood, his feelings of superiority are intensified by the fact that he is the only male figure left, and his supercilious comments are a result of the sacrifices he was forced to make to support his mother.
Although his mother did like him more than her other children, she compliments him out of guilt. Jason was never able to build a career of his own choosing, and to this day it bothers him. He says things such as, “I says no I never had university advantages because at Harvard they teach you how to go for a swim at night without knowing how to swim…” (196). Perhaps it was not Jason’s dream to go to Harvard, but that doesn’t mean that he is still not upset that he never had the opportunity. Jason even mentions that he himself had to give away some things in order to send Quentin and that, “At least I never heard of him offering to sell anything to send me to Harvard” (197).
Quentin was the smart, troubled child. He always studied, went to Harvard, and took his own life when it became unbearable. Caddy was promiscuous. She had multiple affairs, shamed the family, and was thrown out by her husband. Benjy was the baby. And finally, Jason is the vindictive, isolated child. There isn’t much to say about Jason, because we don’t learn anything about his character until his section. Now that he is the only child left (with the exception of Benjy), Jason has a responsibility to his mother. Jason, very aware that this family depends on his income, soaks in all the compliments his mother gives him. She is always saying things like, “You are my only hope…Every night I thank God for you” (200). After hearing praises about the other children for so many years, Jason enjoys being in the spotlight. Because of the way he was neglected by his father in the past, he believes he is justified to act any way he desires in the present.
Jason’s character is hard to understand because we are not sure whether his controlling behavior is situational or if he simply likes taking advantage of others. The latter is more evident when Caddy comes to him at their father’s funeral, begging to see her daughter. The conversation between Caddy and Jason shows Jason’s constant need to overpower people:
“Jason,” she says, looking at the grave, “if you fix it so I can see her a minute I’ll give you fifty dollars.”
“You haven’t got fifty dollars,” I says.
“Will you?” she says, not looking at me.
“Let’s see it,” I says. “I dont believe you’ve got fifty dollars” (203).
Jason behaves similarly when he receives two free tickets to the show Luster desperately wants to go to. Luster begs him for one, but because he has no money to pay for the ticket, Jason burns it before his eyes.
Jason is not a kind character. He seems to have no love for others, he takes advantage of those that do love him, and he is constantly dwelling upon the past. However, there is much more to him than his cold exterior. Behind his rude remarks and indifference for others lies a lonely, depressed person (606).
Although his mother did like him more than her other children, she compliments him out of guilt. Jason was never able to build a career of his own choosing, and to this day it bothers him. He says things such as, “I says no I never had university advantages because at Harvard they teach you how to go for a swim at night without knowing how to swim…” (196). Perhaps it was not Jason’s dream to go to Harvard, but that doesn’t mean that he is still not upset that he never had the opportunity. Jason even mentions that he himself had to give away some things in order to send Quentin and that, “At least I never heard of him offering to sell anything to send me to Harvard” (197).
Quentin was the smart, troubled child. He always studied, went to Harvard, and took his own life when it became unbearable. Caddy was promiscuous. She had multiple affairs, shamed the family, and was thrown out by her husband. Benjy was the baby. And finally, Jason is the vindictive, isolated child. There isn’t much to say about Jason, because we don’t learn anything about his character until his section. Now that he is the only child left (with the exception of Benjy), Jason has a responsibility to his mother. Jason, very aware that this family depends on his income, soaks in all the compliments his mother gives him. She is always saying things like, “You are my only hope…Every night I thank God for you” (200). After hearing praises about the other children for so many years, Jason enjoys being in the spotlight. Because of the way he was neglected by his father in the past, he believes he is justified to act any way he desires in the present.
Jason’s character is hard to understand because we are not sure whether his controlling behavior is situational or if he simply likes taking advantage of others. The latter is more evident when Caddy comes to him at their father’s funeral, begging to see her daughter. The conversation between Caddy and Jason shows Jason’s constant need to overpower people:
“Jason,” she says, looking at the grave, “if you fix it so I can see her a minute I’ll give you fifty dollars.”
“You haven’t got fifty dollars,” I says.
“Will you?” she says, not looking at me.
“Let’s see it,” I says. “I dont believe you’ve got fifty dollars” (203).
Jason behaves similarly when he receives two free tickets to the show Luster desperately wants to go to. Luster begs him for one, but because he has no money to pay for the ticket, Jason burns it before his eyes.
Jason is not a kind character. He seems to have no love for others, he takes advantage of those that do love him, and he is constantly dwelling upon the past. However, there is much more to him than his cold exterior. Behind his rude remarks and indifference for others lies a lonely, depressed person (606).
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