Example
Reflective Statement – Chronicle of a Death Foretold
Social expectations and
obligations play a role of paramount influence in Marquez’s Chronicle Of A Death Foretold. The interactive oral discussed the
roles of females in society and machismo, specifically the notion that women in
the text, serving as a reflection of Columbian society, unconsciously
internalize and adopt the chauvinistic values of society, while men are
expected to epitomize machismo in their daily philosophy.
This discussion allowed
me to further understand the roles the characters play in the novel. Women in
the text have unconsciously accepted themselves as the ‘inferior’ gender, and
conform to the expectations of society rather than their individual desires.
Society has normalized a chauvinistic attitude, leading women to intrinsically
accept the values of society as their own. This is seen through Angela’s
mother, Pura Vicario, who “devoted herself with such
spirit of sacrifice to the care of her husband and the rearing of her children
that at times one forgot she still existed” (31). The discussion contextualized
Pura’s situation as a mother in Columbian society,
providing reason for the extent of her sacrifice. It became clear that she
assumed the societal values impressed upon her. This notion also explained why
Angela’s confidantes helped her hide the loss of her virginity. Society upheld
the value of virginity and chastity, and so the women wished to help Angela
hide her impurity. It was society’s belief, and therefore their own, that women
had to enter marriage as virgins. Thus, Angela embodied something shameful that
needed to be hidden.
In contrast, men are
expected to embody an aura of machismo. The discussion of this idea provided
insight to why Angela’s brothers, Pedro and Pablo Vicario, killed Santiago Nasar, despite the fact that he was their friend. It was
not merely the defending the honour of the family, but also the expectation
that the men of the family to take it upon themselves to right such wrongs.
This provides validation for the theory that Pedro and Pablo were announcing
their intentions to murder