Active Reading Chapter 18

Aureliano (Little Aureliano) takes up were JAS left off. He becomes absorbed in the writings, Melquiades helps him ever so often. Aureliano figures out he writings are in Sankrit. With no one the support the family, the house is in shambles. Santa Sofia's position in the house very low for her age. Fernanda only say her as "her husband’s mother" and left her to do house work and live in the lonely corners of the house. Santa Sofia tries to keep the house clean, but everyday the weeds and dirt return. She leaves soon after, without telling anyone except Aureliano.

With only Aureliano and Fernanda in the house, she starts to show Aureliano more favor. He, in turn, makes her meals and helps with the cleaning. During his solitude, Aureliano translate some of Melquiades documents into Spanish. Fernanda finally dies in solitude, found by Aureliano. Jose Arcadio returns 4 months after her death, he comes to take care of her estate. "You’re the bastard." is the only thing he says to Aureliano. It is revealed that Jose Arcadio never stayed in Rome to learn to be a Pope, but left to live a lavish life. He allows children to run around the house without care. The kids were used as Jose's personal sex slaves.

A yellow glow comes from the floorboard one night, it is Ursula's gold. Jose uses it to live is his lavish lifestyle, buying foreign clothes and fixing up the house. With his new found wealth, Jose sees no use for the children and forces them to leave. One September day, "José Arcadio was finishing his daily bath when through the openings in the tiles the four children he had expelled from the house burst in. Without giving him time to defend himself, they jumped into the pool fully clothed, grabbed him by the hair, and held his head under the water until the bubbling of his death throes ceased on the surface and his silent and pale dolphin body dipped down to the bottom of the fragrant water."

Magical Realism: Aureliano burning silver to preserve Fernanda's body.

Theme: This chapter seems to focus on justice. Fernanda dies in solitude because of the way she acted. Jose Arcadio dies bacause he molested those children.

Character Development: Aureliano lives in solitude just as all previous of his namesakes. Jose Arcadio lives a life of evil just like his namesake.

Quotes: "I give up," she said to Aureliano. "This is too much house for my poor bones." Santa Sofia giving up on the family

"Then he looked into her bedroom and saw her lying on the bed covered with the ermine cape, more beautiful than ever and with her skin turned into an ivory casing." Aureliano finding Fernanda dead