Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to
remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.
“许多年之后，面对行刑队，奥雷良诺·布恩地亚上校将会回想起，他父亲带他去见识冰块的那个遥远的下午。
这是《百年孤独》的开场白，也是这本书中最经典的一句话。
据说仅这句话曾经影响到了中国一代文学作家，让莫言琢磨了30年。
The opening line of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel García Márquez
is considered powerful and captivating for several reasons:
Intriguing and Evocative Imagery: The line immediately draws readers in
with the intriguing image of Colonel Aureliano Buendía facing a firing squad
and recalling a distant afternoon when his father introduced him to the
concept of ice. The contrast between the seemingly mundane event of
discovering ice and the impending dramatic moment of facing a firing squad
creates a sense of mystery and curiosity.
Foreshadowing: The mention of facing a firing squad foreshadows a significant
and likely tragic event in the protagonist's life. This creates suspense and
prompts readers to wonder about the circumstances that led to such a
dramatic outcome.
Time Shift: The phrase "Many years later" introduces a temporal shift,
suggesting that the novel will span a considerable period. This sets the stage
for the exploration of time, memory, and the cyclical nature of history,
which are central themes in the book.
Multigenerational Saga: By starting with Colonel Aureliano Buendía, the line hints
at the multigenerational nature of the novel. It suggests that the story will
unfold across different time periods, involving multiple characters and generations.
Literary Impact: The opening line's literary quality and impact are highlighted
by the note that it influenced Chinese writer Mo Yan for over 30 years.
This attests to the enduring power and resonance of Márquez's prose.
In summary, the opening line is good because it immediately captures the reader's
attention, introduces key themes and elements of the narrative, and sets the tone for the rich and complex storytelling that follows in "One Hundred Years of Solitude."
Here are the English translations for the provided Chinese phrases:
Wherever you go, remember that the past is false, memories are an endless road, and all past springs no longer exist. Even the most resilient and chaotic love is ultimately a fleeting reality.
All the brilliance that has ever existed in life, it turns out, needs to be repaid with loneliness in the end.
Parents are like a curtain between us and death. You seem to be separated from death by something, feeling nothing. Your parents stand between you and it; when your parents pass away, you will face these things directly. Otherwise, death appears abstract to you, and you do not know. Relatives, friends, neighbors, generations apart, their deaths do not directly affect you. Parents are a curtain between you and death, blocking you for a while. Your closest people will influence your view of life and death.
Life has never been without loneliness, existing independently. Whether it's our birth, our growth, our love, or our success and failure, until the very end, loneliness exists in life like a shadow in a corner.
The secret to a happy old age is nothing else but making a dignified agreement with loneliness.
What truly matters in life is not what you have encountered, but what you remember and how you remember it.
We journey through the ancient voyage of life, running in hardships, experiencing rebirth in setbacks, sorrows engulfing us, and pain scattered everywhere. We are tired, yet there is no rest; we suffer, yet there is no escape.
One does not die alone before reaching a hundred.
You hate those people so much, fought against them for so long, only to end up becoming just like them. No ideal in this world is worth such a downfall.
People don't die when they are supposed to die; they die when they can.
Lies become more and more sincere, and in the end, even she finds comfort in them.
Don't miss opportunities; life is shorter than you imagine.
All the past clamor in life will be repaid with loneliness.
Dead people will not reappear; it's just that we can't bear the burden on our conscience.
The past is false, memories are an endless road, and all past springs cannot be restored. Even the most passionate and steadfast love, in the end, is just a fleeting reality; only loneliness is eternal.
TJKCB 发表评论于
? The Butterfly Effect on Love - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (1823 bytes) (17490 reads) 12/10/2023 19:15:00 (10)
? such a poetic prose, maybe i need pick up its English versio - 颤音 - 给 颤音 发送悄悄话 颤音 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (6 reads) 12/10/2023 20:22:27
? And see if it grows on me - 颤音 - 给 颤音 发送悄悄话 颤音 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (1 reads) 12/10/2023 20:22:52
? Take it as the butterfly effect on reading. - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (0 reads) 12/10/2023 20:28:31
? Thanks, 颤音! I am a prose person when it comes to English. - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (1 reads) 12/10/2023 20:26:52
? Thanks for drawing my attention to "return of useful idiots" - dhyang_wxc - 给 dhyang_wxc 发送悄悄话 dhyang_wxc 的博客首页 (104 bytes) (4 reads) 12/10/2023 20:58:39
? Thanks, dhyang_wxc! Did you by any chance check out the - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (2 reads) 12/10/2023 21:07:44
? the origin of the term "useful idiot?" - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (2 reads) 12/10/2023 21:08:35
? Yes. It is very intersting. But this term can be applied to - dhyang_wxc - 给 dhyang_wxc 发送悄悄话 dhyang_wxc 的博客首页 (378 bytes) (5 reads) 12/11/2023 06:02:36
? What you said is how I feel about those geniuses otherwise - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (3 reads) 12/11/2023 06:24:28
? known as useful idiots. BTW, do you think that it's Lenin - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (1 reads) 12/11/2023 06:26:28
? who coined the term "useful idiot?" - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (3 reads) 12/11/2023 06:27:32
? Have a great week! - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (0 reads) 12/11/2023 06:29:58
? I am not sure. Useful idiot is not equal to useful innocent, - dhyang_wxc - 给 dhyang_wxc 发送悄悄话 dhyang_wxc 的博客首页 (378 bytes) (3 reads) 12/11/2023 07:25:59
? Geniuses can be useful, harmful, or sometimes useless. :) - dhyang_wxc - 给 dhyang_wxc 发送悄悄话 dhyang_wxc 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (1 reads) 12/11/2023 07:35:20
? Haha, indeed. AI might qualify as a genius who/which could - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (2 reads) 12/11/2023 07:39:12
? be an incredibly useful idiot, now that disinformation is - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (2 reads) 12/11/2023 07:40:43
? part and parcel of today's deal. - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (2 reads) 12/11/2023 07:42:50
? Orwell may be at a loss seeing people believing - dhyang_wxc - 给 dhyang_wxc 发送悄悄话 dhyang_wxc 的博客首页 (167 bytes) (3 reads) 12/11/2023 08:36:29
? Yours truly is quite determined to look on the - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (1 reads) 12/11/2023 08:57:44
? bright side. I have faith in humanity. - renqiulan - 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (1 reads) 12/11/2023 08:59:34
