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Gabriel García Márquez - Coggle Diagram
Gabriel García Márquez
Education
Attended Colegio jesuita San José, a Jesuit secondary school in Bogotá
Began publishing poems in the school magazine during his time there
Studied law at Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Transferred to Universidad de Cartagena following the closing of Universidad Nacional de Colombia following political riots in Bogotá
Generally focused more on reading and writing fiction than his studies
Started writing in a style resembling magical realism, inspired by his grandmother's stories and other works of fiction he had read
Ended legal studies in 1950 to work as a journalist back in Barranquilla
Educated and immersed himself in literature and culture during his time there
Early life
Born March 6, 1927 in Aracataca, Colombia
His parents moved away when he was very young and was raised by his maternal grandparents in Aracataca
They disapproved of his parents' relationship, leading to a disconnection from them in the early years of his life
Both of his grandparents would often tell stories to him, with his grandfather telling stories of the family, the city, and war, and his grandmother telling him stories of the supernatural
García Márquez later cited this as his greatest literary influence
Moved to Bogotá at age 13 for secondary school and college later on
Was involved in art and storytelling from a young age, often writing poems or drawing comic strips
Themes/writing styles
Often wrote ambiguously, leaving interpretation up to the reader
Generally considered to write magical realism with the use of ambiguity and surrealist details to portray feelings
Has stated that this aspect of his writing is just a reflection of how life was in Latin America
Often discusses themes of violence, war, and imperialism, likely inspired by his wide range of life experiences with such
Also often includes themes of solitude, connecting with the ambiguity of the work with emphasis on personal interpretation of experiences
Career
Initially started working as a reporter for local newspapers during college
Wrote for El Heraldo in Barranquilla and later for El Espectador in Bogotá, writing short stories and novels on the side
Lived in Bogotá, Paris, New York City, and Caracas for short periods of time working various journalism jobs, furthering his immersion in literature while writing short stories and novels on the side
Published
Cien Años de Soledad
(
One Hundred Years of Solitude
) in 1967, which would become his most successful novel and received worldwide acclaim
His writing gained him recognition from various governments such as that of Colombia and Cuba, acting as a negotiator and making friends with leaders such as Fidel Castro
Was also denied entry to the US due to the anti-American themes of his work
Other of his important works include
The Autumn of the Patriarch
(1975),
Chronicle of a Death Foretold
(1981), and
Love in the Time of Cholera
(1985)
Personal Life
Married Mercedes Barcha in 1958 after having met her in school at the age of 12
They had two sons, Rodrigo and Gonzalo, and the family went on to live in Mexico City
Was a political leftist, with anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist beliefs that he got from his grandfather and various personal experiences, which often reflected in his work
Moved throughout his life, both with and without his family, between Mexico City, Bogotá, Havana, Barcelona, Paris, Caracas, and more
Diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in 1999
Died of pneumonia at age 87 on April 17 2014 in Mexico City
Gregory Rabassa (Translator)
Born in New York to a family of Cuban immigrants
Generally translated Spanish and Portugese to English
Served in World War II for the US and then received a Bachelor's degree from Dartmouth
Taught at Colombia University and Queens College
Often translated without reading the book beforehand and tried to incorporate the personal style/flair of the writer
Died on June 13, 2016 in Connecticut