Transculturation, Memory and the Nation in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 'Cien años de soldedad'

In my analysis of Cien años de soledad I will discuss the novel’s depiction of the formation of a national culture. I will argue that the story of the Buendía family is meant to illustrate the way in which disparate, autonomous communities develop a sense of self-awareness as individual parts of a whole nation. This thesis is particularly interested in the role played by ethnic and cultural groups within Macondo in influencing the formation of national culture, which occurs through the process of transculturation, a term used to describe the ways in which subordinate groups alter hegemonic culture. Finally, in order for citizens to obtain a sense of national self-awareness, it is essential that collective memory itself be acquired, controlled and altered. This work is written in English with Spanish quotes from the novel.