Chronicle of a Death Foretold (Page 1-62)

Summary: Marques introduces the novel by letting us know that Santiago Nasar was going to be killed and everyone knew about it but somehow the word never reached him. By giving us the information of Nasars normal daily habits and how on the day of his death he did things particularly different, we would figure that he would somehow be suspicious of his surroundings. From weird dreams to passing his sister who he normally would sexually violate without even a touch even his family knew nothing good was coming. The narrator takes a while to advise us of why it is that Nasar is to be killed and  then gives him the benefit of the doubt for the crime e was accused of. It turns out that a woman that was to be married named Angela Vicario has dishonored her family because the day she is to be married her husband finds out she has lost her virginity. For this she is sent back home in shame. Once back in her home the woman is beat by her mother and then questioned about her virginity. She accuses Nasar of taking it causing her brothers to repay it with the death of Nasar. This made me question the traditions of this culture reasons being that when a woman says her virginity was taken by a man there is no way to prove it was the man she accuses. While out on rampage the brothers of Angela spread word of their plan to murder Nasar and are even reported to the police. When confronted, the boys get their knifes taken away, but this wont stop them as they return home and get new knifes. The people of the town aware of this believe that they are bluffing since the family is of good people. The police officer who is also tired of the recent fights he has broken up doesn't take into to much consideration into the brothers crime, everyone thinks they are blushing.


Quote: " And might a person know why you want to kill him so early in the morning ? " ( Marquez 54 )


Reaction: This quote was interpreted by me as both the hypocrisy and a joke. The fact that Armenta would include the " so early in the morning " in her question seams as if she is poking fun at the brother's response to the question of why they are searching for him. At the same time the quote is hypocritical because according to the narrator the whole town knew about the plans, although they thought it was a joke. So why would Armenta as such a question?