The Chronicle of a Death Foretold

Pages 169-209

Summary So far this novel is very mysterious and interesting. I still have not reached the part where I find out why no one tells Santiago Nasar that he is going to be killed.  I do know that Santiago Nasar was handsome men and that he had odd dreams. Santiago always dream about trees and the week before his death he dreamt that he was in an airplane and flying through almond trees without bumping into anything. He did not think much about his dream, but it may have meant something. Santiago died on a Monday and he dressed in white, because he was hoping to see the bishop. Santiago lived his last day as if it were any other Monday. Everyone knew he was going to die even the daughter of his cook.  Santiago seems to be the type of guy that always gets the girls he wants because he had a thing for the cook’s daughter.  

            Then the story starts to focus more on the wedding that occurred a few days before Santiago’s death. The men who got married is called Bayardo San Roman and he seems pretty mysterious. Most people think Bayardo is handsome, but initially they don’t know really where he came from. Bayardo planned on getting married with Angela Vicario the moment he saw her.  Bayardo sent Angela back home after the wedding when he found out that she wasn’t a virgin. The narrator of this story makes it seem like Angela’s wedding is related to Santiago’s death. I also learned that Bayardo’s father was a General and he ordered for Gerineldo Marquez to be shot. The way Bayardo is described by Angela makes it seem like he is dominant and 
powerful.
           As I read more I found that the narrator was one of Santiago Nasar´s closest friends, which means he knows a lot about what happened. I also found out that the reason why Santiago was killed is that Angela Vicario said he took her virginity. The Vicario brothers announced they were going to kill Santiago many  times but the only person that believed them was Clotilde Armente. When the Colonel found out all he did was take away their knives, but this did not stop them from killed Santiago.

Quote  “No one even warned  whether Santiago Nasar had been warned, because it seemed impossible to all that he hadn’t.” (Marquez 180)

Reactions  The quote on page 180 gives a weak reason for why no one warned warned Santiago that he was going to be killed. It is unrealistic that not one person would warn Santiago about his planned death. I also think that Angela’s wedding has something to do with Santiago’s death, because the narrator goes from talking about Santiago’s day to Bayardo.

            One thing I find interesting is how Gabriel Marquez tells this story. The story is being narrated from the first point of view of the brother of Marget, whom was friend of Santiago. I do not find this convenient all the time because the narrator doesn’t know exactly what happened, because he bases his information on stories he has heard from other people. However the narrator does say Santiago shared his secrets with him so he knows a lot about who Santiago was. Santiago´s death was really foretold, but no one was smart enough to warn him.