Where Does Ultimate Responsibility Lie for the Death of Santiago Nasar, in Chronicle of a Death Foretold?
Where Does Ultimate Responsibility lie for the death of Santiago Nasar, in Chronicle of a Death Foretold?
“On the day they were going to kill him”[1], is the opening to Chronicle of a Death Foretold, by Gabriel Marquez, is a novella written in the form of a pseudo-journalistic reconstruction;, in which the reader is told about the ‘murder death’ from the first line. Here comes the importance of the theme of responsibility; we, along with the narrator, work backwards to unravel the reasons and the mysteries behind the murder. However, we must differentiate between two opposite aspects of this theme; responsibility and action. Some characters were prominently conventionally responsible for the death of Santiago, through their actions. Their actions have lead in a direct or indirect manner, to the latter’s murder. On the other hand, other characters can be perceived as responsible through their negligence and laxity. Marquez lucidly vividly depicts the Columbian community, where the novel takes place, as a tightly knit one, in which more than twenty-two people were either formally or informally informed about the Pablo twins’ intention. Many of these characters were closely linked to Santiago and have seen him the day he was murdered, such characters include; Divina Flor, Colonel Aponte and LeonardoLeandro Pornoy. Yet, none of these characters managed to alert Santiago about his predicted fate. Furthermore, alongside the ignorance of the different characters, the Colombian code of honour and culture can be also perceived as a responsible figure. The society seemed to regard Angela’s violation, as a more serious event compared to a loss of life. For them, honour is a fundamental moral trait that is vital to keep intact and its prominence surpasses their sturdy religious beliefs. Angela Vicario, in spite of not taking the action and killing the protagonist, shares beares much initial of the responsibility for Santiago’s death. She named him as her
“On the day they were going to kill him”[1], is the opening to Chronicle of a Death Foretold, by Gabriel Marquez, is a novella written in the form of a pseudo-journalistic reconstruction;, in which the reader is told about the ‘murder death’ from the first line. Here comes the importance of the theme of responsibility; we, along with the narrator, work backwards to unravel the reasons and the mysteries behind the murder. However, we must differentiate between two opposite aspects of this theme; responsibility and action. Some characters were prominently conventionally responsible for the death of Santiago, through their actions. Their actions have lead in a direct or indirect manner, to the latter’s murder. On the other hand, other characters can be perceived as responsible through their negligence and laxity. Marquez lucidly vividly depicts the Columbian community, where the novel takes place, as a tightly knit one, in which more than twenty-two people were either formally or informally informed about the Pablo twins’ intention. Many of these characters were closely linked to Santiago and have seen him the day he was murdered, such characters include; Divina Flor, Colonel Aponte and LeonardoLeandro Pornoy. Yet, none of these characters managed to alert Santiago about his predicted fate. Furthermore, alongside the ignorance of the different characters, the Colombian code of honour and culture can be also perceived as a responsible figure. The society seemed to regard Angela’s violation, as a more serious event compared to a loss of life. For them, honour is a fundamental moral trait that is vital to keep intact and its prominence surpasses their sturdy religious beliefs. Angela Vicario, in spite of not taking the action and killing the protagonist, shares beares much initial of the responsibility for Santiago’s death. She named him as her
Cited: • "Chronicle of a Death Foretold." - College Essay. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Chronicle-Of-A-Death-Foretold/227209 • "Chronicles of a Death Foretold." English11IB-Dineen. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. http://english11ib-dineen.commack.wikispaces.net/CDF Chapter 5 • "Chronicle of a Death Foretold." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, Web. 3 Mar. 2012. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/chrondeath/canalysis.html • "Who or What Was Responsible for the Death of Santiago Nasar Essay." Who or What Was Responsible for the Death of Santiago Nasar Essay. Web. 4 Mar. 2012. http://www.exampleessays.com/viewpaper/15622.html • "Search Study Guides! Include Chapter Summaries & Analysis." Novelguide.. Web. 3 Mar. 2012. http://www.novelguide.com/Chronicle-of-a-Death-Foretold/essayquestions.html • "Chronicles of a Death Foretold. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. http://www.coursework.info/GCSE/English_Literature/Prose_Fiction/Miscellaneous/Santiago_Nasar_s_Death_in_______Chronicl_L864986.html • • "Chronicles of a Death Foretold. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. http://www.coursework.info/International_Baccalaureate/World_Literature/Creative_Responses/Chronicle_of_a_Death_Foretold_Commentari_L905999.html ----------------------- [1] Marquez, Gabriel G. Chronicle of a Death Foretold.: Penguin Books, 2007. Print.