Similarly, in ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’, it remains largely unclear throughout the novel as to who is actually narrating the story. However, in this case, there is only one narration used, that of an omniscient ‘third person’ who tells the reader the story of the entire one hundred years of solitude as lived by the Buendia family. The readers in this case may interpret the narration as that of the matriarch, Ursula Iguaran’s or perhaps of the gypsy, Melquiades’. However, this remains arguable, as there is hardly any ‘first person’ narration used to support the readers’ assumptions.
In either way though, the choices of narration of both the authors, prove to be extremely effective, as they are able to get the readers completely hooked to the plots. The reader has access to both objective and subjective views in the novels, which leads to a better understanding of the characters and events.
A very important literary narrative technique used in both the novels is foreshadowing. Both the novels have very appropriate opening sentences, as these compel the reader to think what might happen in the next few pages and the curiosity builds up right from the beginning. Marquez’s ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ opens with the lines; ‘Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendia was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.’ [pg1] These lines evidently make it obvious that Colonel Aureliano Buendia’s downfall in the novel is inevitable, as also they simultaneously refer to the time when Jose Arcadio Buendia takes his sons to discover ice. Similarily, Allende’s opening sentences are: Barrabas came to us by sea, the child Clara wrote in her delicate calligraphy.’ [pg1] This also refers to an incident that is to take place in the future and simultaneously, it immediately introduces us to Clara writing down accounts of her life, which shall serve as the foundation on which the entire story is built. Thus, the authors first take us to the future and then quickly bring us back to the present, all the while constantly referring to the past as well. This inseparability of the past, present and future drops subtle hints throughout the two novels as the technique of foreshadowing has been used very skillfully by both the authors. Thus, the narrators’ direct voices mark the fates of the major characters in both the novels and remind the reader of the dire consequences to come.
Another important narrative strategy that both the authors have employed is their strong and rich characterizations. The reader develops an intimate bond with almost all the characters in the both the novels and does not question their actions. This is perhaps because the characters are indeed portrayed in such a way that they are known to the reader not merely because of their feelings or dialogues, but rather because of their actions and their reactions to varied situations that they face. The genre of ‘Magic Realism’ that may well be very difficult for readers to comprehend, is presented in such a powerful way, that the readers are transported to the worlds of Allende and Marquez. Although in such genres, there is a very thin line between fantasy and reality, the reader tends to accept even the most alarming eccentricities possessed by the characters. The most extraordinary events are depicted in simple language, while the most mundane ones are explained extravagantly. The way the characters in the novel itself react to the supernatural occurrences also help the reader in suppressing his perception of reality momentarily and instead adopting the reality presented in the text. For instance, when in ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’, Remedios the beauty flew away to heaven suddenly; ‘Fernanda, burning with envy, finally accepted the miracle, and for a long time she kept on praying to God to send her back her sheets.’ [pg.243] This also adds a touch of humour to the almost unbelievable happenings in the novels. This also allows the reader the open mindedness to look beyond the apparent reality.
These two narratives also make great use of recurring motifs to further make the interpretation and understanding of the text easier. For instance, both the novels have constant references to the importance of fate in the lives of the Buendias and the Truebas, as well as the repetition of time and history. These motifs help in connecting seemingly unrelated episodes and bring a constant tone to the novels.
Hence, both these novels prove to be exceptional examples of narrative fiction, as the authors are able to forge a strong relationship with their readers. With the help of all the narrative strategies, the novelists have been able convey their points of view effectively, as the readers get completely immersed in the novels, and in the end, are even somewhat mesmerized.
Multiple perspectives in both the novels also give the reader a chance to assess the political, cultural and social themes in many varied ways as well as understand the emotions of all the characters. This indeed makes the depictions and portrayals of events and characters extremely credible as well as acceptable.
