Introduction
In humor, grotesques describe something horrifying, ugly, and distorted. It often refers to art or images intended to be shocking or disturbing in nature. On the contrary, satire is humor that uses irony or sarcasm to ridicule someone or something. It usually targets political leaders, celebrities, or other public figures. Satire can be used to make social commentary on important issues and be a powerful tool for change. In the story One Hundred Years of Solitude, grotesque and satirical elements are among the humorous aspects displayed in the work.
Novel Summary
One Hundred Years of Solitude tells the story of the Buendía family, whose patriarch, José Arcadio Buendía, first arrives in the isolated town of Macondo with his wife, Úrsula Iguarán—the novel centers around José Arcadio Buendía and his descendants. José is a dreamer and a scientist, always looking to discover new things about the world (Márquez 9).
Conversely, Úrsula is a strong and practical woman who dares to face her fears. The Buendías are plagued by constant misfortune and disaster, and as the generations pass, the family becomes more isolated from the rest of the world. Generally, many painful deaths occurred in the town of Macondo.
Grotesque
Grotesques are witnessed when the Buendía family is forced onto the terrible riverboat, and Colonel Aureliano Buendía embarks on a vengeful war. The Buendía family is packed into a small, leaky boat and forced to move to a new town (Márquez 143). They are horrified by their new surroundings, which are full of death.
The town is surrounded by swamp land, and the only way to get around is by boat. The buildings are all made of wood, and they quickly rot away; furthermore, there is no sanitation, resulting in streets constantly filled with garbage and rats (Márquez 166). People live in filth, and disease spreads rapidly; the Buendías are disgusted by this place and long to return to their old home.
Similarly, grotesque describes the physical and emotional effects of violence in the story. Colonel Aureliano embarked on war after his father’s death, causing many deaths and resulting in a widespread disaster, and many people view him as a madman (Márquez 55). This is described as being grotesque both physically and emotionally due to such frightening killings. The physical effects are shown in the disfigurement of bodies, and the emotional effects are seen in the devastation that war wreaks on families and communities.
Satire
On the other hand, satire is often employed in literature, art, and journalism to highlight human folly. In One Hundred Years of Solitude, the townspeople build a statue of José Arcadio, only to tear it down later because they disliked its appearance (Márquez 96). This is an example of how humans can be fickle and change their minds quickly.
It also reflects on how society often rewards people for things that are not necessarily good or valuable. People destroyed José Arcadio Buendía’s statue because he was the town’s founder and blamed him for all their problems. They thought that if they destroyed his statue, it would be like getting revenge on him and communicating their sadness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe the One Hundred Years of Solitude story has portrayed grotesque and satire differently. Grotesque and satire are two ways of looking at the world that often reveal uncomfortable societal truths. The forcing of Buendía’s family into a poorly maintained riverboat and Colonel Aureliano starting a war in revenge for his father’s death are some instances of grotesqueness since they lead to ugly and horrifying deaths. Conversely, the building of José’s statue is a satire since the townspeople’s demolition was one way of ridiculing him.
Work Cited
Márquez, Gabriel García. One Hundred Years of Solitude. CRC Press, 2018.