Book Review
Gabriel Garcia’s masterpiece, “one hundred years of solitude,” portrays a community dominated by men and women. It should however, be noted that the two genders played different roles and operated in different environments. Women served in the domestic environment and portrayed high degrees of moral values and resourcefulness and were reflected as pragmatic individuals. Society perceived women as ignorant of their external environment. However, they held other qualities such as innocence, virginity, and a broader life span than men did. The primary role of women in Gabriel’s society is to ensure the continuity of the community through reproduction. Irrespective of their vital role, women used their body as a weapon to manipulate men and gain power. A good example portraying how women used their bodies as weapons for manipulation is evident in Pilar Ternera, who establishes a business from reading society members’ past. However, it should be noted that the significant role of women in the novel is sex. This role is, however, torn apart by virginity and prostitution. The topmost duty served by women in one hundred years of solitude is preserving and protecting their families.