Pilar Ternera Character Analysis in One Hundred Years of Solitude

An older fortune teller in town who is a constant source of lust to the Buendía men. With Colonel Aureliano Buendía, she produces Aureliano José, and with Colonel Aureliano Buendía’s brother José Arcadio (I), she gives birth to Arcadio. She lives to be at least one hundred and forty years old. “Fat, talkative, with the airs of a matron in disgrace.” She smells like smoke, a scent that lures José Arcadio. Later in life she runs a brothel and continues to tell both the past and future using her cards.

Pilar Ternera Character Timeline in One Hundred Years of Solitude

The timeline below shows where the character Pilar Ternera appears in One Hundred Years of Solitude. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

The woman who seduced José Arcadio (I)’s name is Pilar Ternera , one of the original inhabitants of Macondo, dragged along by her parents to separate... (full context)

...newt.” The newer gypsies return to town with a flying carpet. José Arcadio (I) and Pilar Ternera wander the amusements and she tells him he’s going to be a father. José Arcadio... (full context)

...wife, but after three days of searching, returns empty-handed. He cares for baby Amaranta and Pilar Ternera offers to do the chores, but Aureliano Buendía can tell via his psychic powers that... (full context)

Pilar Ternera ’s son is brought to the Buendía house when he is just two weeks old... (full context)

...They attempt to pin down reality with language, but recognize it is a losing battle. Pilar Ternera begins to read both the past and future in her cards now, popularizing an imaginary... (full context)

...by all the women, but soon blacks out and wakes up in the company of Pilar Ternera . They have sex, but Pilar Ternera offers to talk to Remedios Moscote for him.... (full context)

...Rebeca lives in fear of her sister’s threats to stop the wedding. She goes to Pilar Ternera to read her future, and Pilar tells her that she will not be happy as... (full context)

...the house, caring for José Arcadio Buendía and accepting the son of her husband and Pilar Ternera , Aureliano José as her own. Remedios Moscote and Aureliano Buendía had made a very... (full context)

...he is not a Buendía, though he doesn’t know the truth that his mother is Pilar Ternera . On an afternoon before the war began, he’d tries to seduce her, drawn by... (full context)

...colonel knows different. He believes the war is at a stalemate. Colonel Aureliano Buendía asks Pilar Ternera to read him his future. She warns him to “watch out for his mouth” though... (full context)

...behave badly, sacking Úrsula’s money and gadding about town. He learns that his mother is Pilar Ternera , who becomes his accomplice in solitude. She lends her rooms to people’s casual affairs... (full context)

Pilar Ternera visits Colonel Aureliano Buendía and he is surprised at how old she is. On the... (full context)

...she is suffering from dementia, but Fernanda believes that Úrsula’s words have a prophetic quality. Pilar Ternera , almost 100 years old herself, agrees that old age can provide a clearer vision... (full context)

...would fit him better. It is revealed that he has no home, staying sometimes with Pilar Ternera and often with the French matrons. Úrsula sees José Arcadio Segundo and Aureliano Segundo as... (full context)

...theater. She becomes obsessed and will do anything to spend time with him. She visits Pilar Ternera to have her fortune told, not knowing the woman is her great-grandmother. Pilar offers Meme... (full context)

...on the property, waiting for its proper owner to appear to claim it. He consults Pilar Ternera about the where the gold is buried but she can tell him only it is... (full context)

Aureliano Segundo feels a knot in his throat. He visits Pilar Ternera , now one hundred years old and running a brothel, for a remedy. She reads... (full context)

...entrance, an old woman exclaims, “Aureliano!” thinking she has seen Colonel Aureliano Buendía. It is Pilar Ternera , over 145 years old. Aureliano begins to visit her regularly to hear about the... (full context)

Pilar Ternera dies in her rocking chair, buried in the same position in a hole dug into... (full context)