Love in the Time of Cholera

Love in the Time of Cholera

• Genre: Fiction; magical realism; romance
• Originally Published: 1985
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1440; college/adult
• Structure/Length: 6 sections; approximately 348 pages; approximately 15 hours, 41 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: Love in the Time of Cholera follows the intertwined lives of Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza. The central conflict revolves around the enduring love of Florentino for Fermina, which spans over five decades, despite Fermina's marriage to another man, Dr. Juvenal Urbino. The novel explores love, passion, time, and the human heart’s capacity for enduring devotion. Set in a fictional Caribbean city, the story is steeped in magical realism, adding a touch of the supernatural to the narrative.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Love, passion, and relationships, including romantic relationships with underage individuals

Gabriel García Márquez, Author

• Bio: Born 1927, deceased 2014; Colombian author and Nobel laureate known for his contributions to the magical realism genre and his exploration of themes related to Latin American culture, politics, and human nature; often used poetic language and explored the complexities of human relationships
• Other Works: One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967); Chronicle of a Death Foretold (1981)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• The Interconnectedness of Love and Suffering
• The Impact of Class on Love Relationships
• The Inevitability of Aging and Death

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Gain an understanding of the literary contexts of the novel, including the genres of romance and magical realism.
• Discuss paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of The Interconnectedness of Love and Suffering and The Inevitability of Aging and Death.
• Think creatively and critically about love, relationships, and characterization in the novel by composing a love letter.
• Evaluate the themes, symbols, and motifs of the play in structured essay responses on types of relationships, the role of nostalgia in the novel, and other topics.