Chronicle of a Death Foretold - Gabriel García Márquez

Motif
Thematic Statement
I think García Márquez chose to incorporate
While the traditions of one’s culture magical realism because it encapsulates the
are deeply personal and important confusion and dreamlike nature of that night
in developing said community, and morning in a way that most other literary
many tend to be outdated and techniques could not. It captures the impact
harmful, leading to oppressing and that this day left on the psyche of the
outcasting any who fail to fit into townspeople, who cope by keeping the
this pressured norm. memory as more of a dream than anything.
They do so in order to let fade the parts of the
“‘Honor doesn’t wait…’ ‘I knew what memory that put partial blame on them for
they were up to,’ she told me, ‘and I Santiago’s death, diminishing the guilt they
didn't only agree, I never would have feel, even so many years later.
married him if he hadn’t done what
a man should do.” (García Márquez “She’d opened the door without turning on
62) the light… and saw Bayardo San Román in
the glow of the street light… He had that
Characterization green color of dreams… Angela Vicario was
in the shadows, so she only saw her when
I believe Santiago Nasar was the true victim of this story. Despite his many Bayardo San Román grabbed her by the arm
offenses, his brutal and visceral murder was completely unjustifiable. The twins and brought her into the light. Her satin dress
may not be completely to blame (the honor culture in the community made them was in shreds… ‘Holy Mother of God,’ she
feel like they had no choice but murder), but they made the choice to kill him, and said in terror. ‘Answer me if you’re still of this
while there is much speculation as to whether or not he had taken Angela’s world.’” (García Márquez 45-46)
virginity, either way, his murder was not justified. The heavy value placed on
virginity in the town led to such a catastrophic and destructive event that was Symbols
inexcusably violent. Whether or not Angela is telling the truth doesn’t change the
fact that Santiago is the victim, as his life was taken too early for a crime not One repeating symbol throughout the novella
particularly against a person, but simply against an exaggerated portrayal of honor is the weather, and how nobody seems to
that is so deeply ingrained into the community. remember the same account of what it was
like on the day that Santiago was killed. Many
“Santiago Nasar hadn’t a moment of doubt, in spite of the fact that he knew very people’s accounts juxtapose each other as
well what the price of the insult imputed to him was… when he finally learned at well, some saying it was warm, others saying
the last moment that the Vicario brothers were waiting for him to kill him, his it was “Christmas weather,” and some saying
reaction was… the bewilderment of innocence.” (García Márquez 100-101) it was beginning to rain while others said it
did not rain. This significant lack of
consistency when those in the community
were asked to recall the weather is just one
example of the vividly perplexing and
individual impact that this day left on the
town. Everybody was affected by the events
in a very unique and personal way, and thus
they remember the day differently.

“Many people coincided in recalling that it

was a radiant morning with a sea breeze
coming in… as was to be expected in a fine
February of that period. But most agreed that
the weather was funereal” (García Márquez
4). “I can remember with certainty that it was
almost five o’clock and it was beginning to
rain… It wasn’t raining… There was a sea
Global Issue wind and you could still count the stars with
your finger” (García Márquez 56, 61)
A global issue present in this novella is conflict resolution and prevention. So much of the
tragedy that occurs in this story seems so easily preventable from an outsider's perspective. As
someone who comes from a culture where there is not as much emphasis placed on honor and
virginity as there is in the setting of the story, the events that take place simply because a girl
married a man despite not being a virgin seem drastic and extreme. However, the problem lies
in their community, which was not able to effectively solve the issue at hand in a reasonable
way. The issue of resolution also lies in that very few (if any) of the citizens truly made an effort
to stop the murder which the brothers were so open about.

“Their reputation as good people was so well-founded that no one paid any attention to them.
‘We thought it was drunkards’ baloney,’ several butchers declared.” (García Márquez 52). “But
Indalecio found Santiago Nasar being led by the arm by Cristo Bedoya… and he didn’t dare warn
him.” (García Márquez 102)