Love in the Time of Cholera

By Yacenia Morillo Coronado (441)

Hello guys, I would like to share with you a novel that I read. Love in the Time of Cholera, a novel written by Nobel Prize winning Gabriel García Márquez.

The novel is about the story of Florentino Ariza, who is able to wait 51 years, 9 months and four days the love of his life Fermina Daza. The story developments in the Caribbean coast Colombian, during the time in that the region prevalence the hungry and several civil wars. In addition, the city is attacked for the epidemic of cholera and the “symptoms of love are confused with this disease”.

Florentino and Fermina fall in love deeply. He is very persistent, to write her constantly, to send her flowers all the days, to give her serenades, to speak her poetically of love. But, the Fermina’s father tries to keep them apart. For this reason, he sends her for long time to the house of some relatives in other village. However, they continue writing for telegraph. Over the time and the years, she returns to house. She discovers the Florentino’s love is a simple illusion and that he isn’t the ideal man.

Years pass, and the well Known Dr. Urbino treats Fermina for a case of cholera. They begin to leave and months later they married. In spite of this, Florentino decides to wait her.

Florentino, on the brink of suicide, is sent for her mother to work to Caqueta. In this trip he discovers his sexuality, but he wants to keep his virginity intact for Fermina. However he begins to have adventures with several women, but without forget to Fermina. Time pass, and this surprised them being elderly. On the Juvenal’s death, and after of five decades to wait, Florentino goes to Fermina’s house, because he wants to declare her his unconditional love. They begin a renewed and mature friendship, until Florentino to invite her to a trip by boat, where they to decide spend the rest of their lives.