An Analysis of Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Honor
In the novel “Chronicle of a death Foretold” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez honor is one of the many significant themes that play an important role in the story. In the story, Santiago is brutally murdered because of family honor. He is also never warned by any of the townspeople, except his friend who fails to warn him because they all believe that family honor was needed to be restored to the Vicario name after what was believed to have happened. If honor didn’t play a role in the story Santiago would have never ended up being killed.
Honor plays a significant role in the story because it is the reason for Santiago’s death. After being blamed by Angela Vicario for losing her virginity to him, the Vicario twins know it is their responsibility to kill him for their family honor. This is because of their religious believes at the time, which were if a woman slept with another man before marriage that it was the family’s responsibility to kill the man. In the story Pablo Vicario tells the reader that it was for honor; ‘“We killed him openly.” Pedro Vicario said, “but we’re innocent.” “Perhaps before God,” said Father Armador. “Before God and before men,” Pablo Vicario said. “It was a matter of honor”’(49). Pedro Vicario strongly believes that they are innocent and it was okay to murder him because of family honor.
Another reason why honor plays an important role in the murder of Santiago is because the townspeople all knew that the twins were planning on killing Santiago but none of them told him. They all knew the twins were going to kill him to restore their family honor and they also believed that in order to do so the twins had to kill the man who took Angela’s virginity. ‘“We’ll leave it for later,” Pablo Vicario said. “We’re in a hurry now.” “I can imagine, my sons,” she said. “Honor doesn’t wait” (62). This shows how everyone believed in the family honor in the village because even Santiago’s fiancée’s mother encouraged the twins to kill him.
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In the novel “Chronicle of a death Foretold” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez honor is one of the many significant themes that play an important role in the story. In the story, Santiago is brutally murdered because of family honor. He is also never warned by any of the townspeople, except his friend who fails to warn him because they all believe that family honor was needed to be restored to the Vicario name after what was believed to have happened. If honor didn’t play a role in the story Santiago would have never ended up being killed.
Honor plays a significant role in the story because it is the reason for Santiago’s death. After being blamed by Angela Vicario for losing her virginity to him, the Vicario twins know it is their responsibility to kill him for their family honor. This is because of their religious believes at the time, which were if a woman slept with another man before marriage that it was the family’s responsibility to kill the man. In the story Pablo Vicario tells the reader that it was for honor; ‘“We killed him openly.” Pedro Vicario said, “but we’re innocent.” “Perhaps before God,” said Father Armador. “Before God and before men,” Pablo Vicario said. “It was a matter of honor”’(49). Pedro Vicario strongly believes that they are innocent and it was okay to murder him because of family honor.
Another reason why honor plays an important role in the murder of Santiago is because the townspeople all knew that the twins were planning on killing Santiago but none of them told him. They all knew the twins were going to kill him to restore their family honor and they also believed that in order to do so the twins had to kill the man who took Angela’s virginity. ‘“We’ll leave it for later,” Pablo Vicario said. “We’re in a hurry now.” “I can imagine, my sons,” she said. “Honor doesn’t wait” (62). This shows how everyone believed in the family honor in the village because even Santiago’s fiancée’s mother encouraged the twins to kill him.
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