Love in the Time of Cholera Lesson Plan

Why does Fermina write Florentino a letter that is so spiteful and cruel? What is so upsetting to her about him showing up after he husband has died?

Fermina writes this letter out of earnestness but also as test. She earnestly despises that he has shown up now at the moment that she will potentially experience freedom from the desires of men. However, she also seems to understand on some level that she will be lonely, and that she would like to have someone around. So the letter is also a test, to see if Florentino will be able to handle the truth of her frustration with grace or not. And he succeeds in showing her he can.

What causes Fermina to ultimately agree...