Active Reading Chapter 5

Aureliano Buendia and Remedios Moscote finally are married when she reaches puberty. Remedios had a long way to go to be recognized as a woman. She had a problem with peeing on the bed and smearing chocolate on her panties. They are wed by Father Nicanor Reyna, who came to the town on short notice just for the wedding by the magistrate.

Father Nicanor stayed in Macondo because "he was appalled at the hardness of the inhabitants of Macondo". He said the people of the town were living with the original sin because none of their children were baptized and they did not celebrate Church holidays. However, he needed money to build his church. Collecting alms was his first tactic, but soon it became counter-productive. The Father then held an open mass, in which he performed the miracle of levitation. JAB was the only doubter.

Rebeca and Pietro are prepared to be married but are met with many obstacles. The death of Pietro's mother postpones the wedding, financial constraints postpone the wedding, and Amaranta many attempts to stop their matrimony. Unfortunately, the wedding is postponed indefinitely with the death of Remedios, who was carrying twins.

Every one's life turned upside down with the return of Jose II. He looks completely different, covered from head to toe with tattoos. Jose II states he has come back for the women of the town. Rebeca, who is set to wed Pietro, falls in love with Jose II. They have sex and three days later are set to wed. Pietro is heartbroken by the news, but pulls himself together and starts a relationship with Amaranta.

The town council is controlled by the Conservatives, but the Liberals are planning an upraising. Aureliano, after witnessing the corruption of the Conservatives, becomes the rebel leader of the Liberals. The leader of the Conservitives is Don Moscote, who after the death of Remedios confronted Aureliano, all of his weapons are seized and the Liberals gain control of the town. Aureliano becomes Colonel Aureliano Buendia and joins the Liberal National Army.

When he leaves he gives command of the town to Jose III, who misuses his power on the townspeople. During this, Pietro proposes to Amaranta twice and is rejected both times. He kills himself after her final rejection. Ursula is left in distress while observing the behavior of her child and his son. Jose III allows his father Jose II to run wild, while he has an affair with a child named, Santa Piedad, who bears him a daughter and is pregnant with another child. The Liberal Army suffers a defeat to the Conservatives and they recapture Macondo. Jose III faces death by firing squad, his last wish is for his daughter to be named Ursula and unborn child to be name Jose Arcadio.

Theme: The theme of this chapter is conflict. There are many conflicts between the political parities within the country. there is also conflict between the Buendia family.

Magical Realism: Jose II claimed to have sailed around the world 65 times.

Character Development: Jose II has become womanizing, immoral man. Aureliano has become the most dominate figure in the story. the woman have become weak in comparions with the men.

Quotes: "She was the last person Arcadio thought about a few years later when he faced the firing squad" Foreshadowing his pending death.
"God for having been born before she lost herself in the inconceivable pleasure of that unbearable pain" Rebeca having sex with Jose II, rough sex.