Garcia Marquez, Macondo, and the Magical Universe

Imagination can be more real than reality

From an early age, I’ve been an avid reader of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s literature. There is something about his prose that really speaks to me. The way he describes human relationships, power, politics, conflict, and love is captivating, solemn, and surreal.

Gabo’s novels have taught me a lot about human psychology, especially women, how we are so different and yet need each other, how love and hate and sex and power are all mixed together in a chaotic mess that somehow makes sense despite being irrational.

Gabo’s magical reality clashes with western Cartesian thinking with all its rigidity, squareness, and shortsightedness. Life is far richer than what you can see, touch or reason. There are feelings, there is magic, there are dreams and there is desire. All of this is as tangible as, what we call, objective reality and Gabriel shows us this parallel universe like no one else.

Macondo

Gabo’s favorite village is not actually a village, it’s a state of mind, a place in the sky where you go to meet your fears, hopes, and desires, where reality mixes with fantasy, and where time stands still forever.