The Netflix adaptation of One Hundred Years of Solitude has brought Gabriel García Márquez's famous novel to the screen. It follows the journey of the Buendía family, whose patriarch José Arcadio Buendía found the Macondo town.
As the series name suggests, One Hundred Years of Solitude offers deep themes like solitude, memory, love, and most importantly: How history repeats itself. The story kicks off with José Arcadio Buendía and his wife, Úrsula Iguarán creating a whole new town after they left their original place.
The couple hoped for a better life in Macondo, and as their journey begins, the Buendía family faces several challenges that often test their love and loyalty. One of the key aspects of their lives is isolation. Despite trying to connect with others, the Buendía family members often feel disconnected from the world.
Similar to the book, the Netflix series blends magical realism with historical events, offering a unique narrative to its viewers. However, the show did miss out on major details and hence slightly differs from the book.
Continue reading to explore the difference between the series and its source material.
Exploring the differences between Netflix's One Hundred Years of Solitude and the novel
One of the biggest differences between One Hundred Years of Solitude and Gabriel García Márquez's book is the narrative structure. The series begins where the book ended, featuring Aureliano Buendía discovering Melquíades’ manuscript that predicts the Buendía family's fate.
In the book, the story begins with José Arcadio Buendía and his wife abandoning their original place only to find a new life in a new town that they created. In simple terms, the book first explores the origins of the titular family, followed by the unfolding of the events that lead to a tragic fate.
Other key differences include:
Character development and omissions: When compared to the book, the development of some characters in One Hundred Years of Solitude Season 1 has been simplified. While the series does feature José Arcadio Buendía's interest in science and the supernatural, it doesn't focus much on his mental decline and the isolation he felt.
Another difference between the book and the series is Aureliano's attempt to save a woman. He tries marrying him to save her life, but as seen in Season 1 Episode 4 "The Chestnut Tree" he just gives the young prostitute a tip. Additionally, the series didn't introduce fans to a crucial figure: Francisco the Man from Colombian folklore, affecting the cultural context crafted by the author in his book.
Thematic adjustments: As seen in One Hundred Years of Solitude Season 1, viewers are offered more action-driven storytelling, instead of a deep philosophical aspect of the book. The series briefly mentions the insomnia plague, which is a key part of the story in the book. It explains how the titular family isn't just connected by blood but by shared trauma and emotional states.
Symbolism and visual elements: The biggest difference between the Netflix series and the book in the context of symbolism and visual elements is a snake eating its own tail in Episode 1 "Macondo".
The Melquíades' manuscript, which is written in the Sanskrit language appears in the opening scene of the series. Among its many pages is the snake, whose mention is absent in Márquez's book.
Also Read: Is Bank Under Siege based on a true story? Inspiration behind the Netflix miniseries, explored
Will there be a second part of One Hundred Years of Solitude?
If you loved the Buendía family saga, note that the story isn't over yet. As reported by Vanity Fair, Gabriel García Márquez never thought of a movie being adapted from his book as he always wanted people to read and experience the story through his book.
The author even doubted that it might take around 100 hours to adapt his story, but Netflix's One Hundred Years of Solitude will conclude it in just 16 episodes. The author’s sons have served as the producers of the series, and as expected by the family, it was filmed in Colombia and spoken in Spanish.
The first eight episodes are out on Netflix, and you would require a subscription plan to watch how the narrative has been presented as director Laura Mora explained that they crafted One Hundred Years of Solitude with love and respect for the book. So make sure to enjoy the family's saga and wait for the next part to come out.
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