Magical Realism In A Cultural Contexts

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

World Literature Assignment

Adam Khattak

Ms. Pereira

Modesto High School

Modesto, California, USA

May 16, 2012

In Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a motif that is evident throughout the entire novel is magical realism. Marquez applies magical realism in Chronicle of a Death Foretold for many reasons, the most important reason being to exemplify unreliable deviation, otherwise noted as analysis of the characters that are vital to the plot, although they are amusing.

To emphasize variously familiar occurrences, Marquez employs deviating, dreamlike details. For example, Marquez’s portrayal of the town brothel makes the reader second guess what particularly Maria Alejandrina Cervante does, although she is actually a whore, because he makes it sound so delightful. The portrayal of her home is so fascinating that if anyone were to glace at the writing, they could easily distinguish her home as a luxurious residence. Also, Marquez applies magical realism in Chronicle of a Death Foretold for many reasons, the most important reason being to exemplify unreliable deviation, otherwise noted as analysis of the characters that are vital to the plot, although they are amusing. The narrator examines the dream that Santiago Nasar has antecedently his passing over in the beginning of the novel: "He’d dreamed he was going thorugh a grove of timber trees where a gently drizzle was falling, and for an instant he was happy in his dream, but when he awoke he felt completely spattered with bird shit" (185). This playful type of analysis functions contrary to the journalistic analytical approach of the anecdotal, and transmits the reader toward numerous various abstract fields within existence and fantasy that he again must solve.

Chronicle of a Death Foretold shows many of the characteristics of a book composed in the magic realist method. For instance, book produces askew remarks to God and intuition. Also, the novel contains the magic realism appearance of a distorted timeline. At least one time in each of the five chapters, the predominant plot plays out five times, and in every scenario knowledge is expressed regarding a deviating soul in the society. The idea of fact and fiction is brought about as a result of the plot representing the thought of fragmentation. Athough this is nostalgic of the established catastrophic arrangement, it reverses it inside-out. The narrator includes individual rationality along with the affairs materializing several years ensuing the action disentangles to crack the description of a narrative. The psychedelic metaphors erected in the book accumulates to this influence and, connected with the distorted dated framework and the citizens’ awaiting of Santiago Nasar’s killing, deteriorates the believability of absolute absurdity as a reason for the disaster. This discrepancy suits the magic realism type; it may be allowed to be suppressed to predestination. The contradictory of unbelievable incompetence, unbelievable strength, is additionally existing as Santiago Nasar’s horrific smell spreads throughout the city even after he is killed. An authentication of magical realism is in the delicate crossroads of civilized expenses and the mysterious with the tangible globe.

Marquez utilizes overstatement in Chronicle of a Death Foretold greater than any other components of magical realism in the publication. When the narrator states, "The groom received a convertible with his name engraved in Gothic letters under the manufacturer’s seal. The bride was given a chest with table settings in pure gold for twenty-four guests. They also brought in a ballet company with two waltz orchestras" (44), this is obviously an overstatement due to the fact that undoubtedly the very small poor community could hardly manage to pay for these kinds of luxurious presents. When Pedro states that the discomfort in his genitals had gotten to his throat and how he could hardly snooze for nearly a year is an uncomplicated, clear-cut indicator of magical realism. Indicating that he agreed with the content, the narrator states, "He was carrying a suitcase with clothing in order to stay and another just like it with almost two thousand letters that she has written him they were arranged by date in bundles tied with colored ribbons, and they were all unopened" (95).

The novel is written as a bizarre co-occurrence of events. Before the murder is actually described, however, the story moves to about a year earlier, when a strange and mysterious new man, Bayardo San Román, enters the town, seemingly searching for a wife. The story follows the romance of Bayard San Román and Angela Vicario. The wedding and after party are soon described, since the events of the wedding night have a direct effect on the eventual murder of Santiago Nasar. During the wedding night, Bayardo San Román discovers that Angela Vicario is not a virgin, and this discovery causes Angela's new husband to take her back to her mother, Pura Vicario, who brutally beats her. When Angela is forced by her brothers to expose the man accountable for her loss of honor", she replies Santiago. This basically sealed his fate. Angela's two brothers, Pedro and Pablo Vicario, decide to take instant action to regain their sister's honor. They stray through the town holding pig slaughtering knives, announcing to everyone that they intend to take the life of Santiago Nasar. Colonel Aponte confiscates the weapons, but the brothers are not arrested and soon sharpen anew pair of knives and continue searching the town, while telling everyone who would listen to their plan. About an hour later, Santiago Nasar wakes up. He leaves the house unaware, because the cook, Victoria Guzman, and her daughter, Divina, dismisses a warning from a homeless woman about the murder. He goes to the docks, where the bishop passes by but does not stop, and then goes to his fiancé Flora Miguel's house for breakfast, where Flora Miguel and Santiago Nasar have a fight about something unrelated to the impending murder. Then Santiago leaves her house after talking to her father, Nahir Miguel, who informs him about the murder. This leaves Santiago confused as to what was happening and why, and he leaves without his gun on the day that he is about to be killed. I find this to be a very ironic bizarre event. On the street, he is met by shouts from all angles. A warning by Clotilde's causes him to run fifty yards to the front door, which he initially left open. This is also very ironic because the day that he is going to be murdered, they closed the door and locked it because his mother assumed that he was inside and in safe hands. This was the last bizarre event that sealed his fate. Everything within this "chronicle" of events seems to be essential for the murder to take place. Everyone knew about the murder, but did nothing to prevent it. If any of the warnings were heeded the killing could have been stopped. Even though the Vicario brothers asked the people of the town to, no one took their threats to murder Santiago Nasar seriously. All of this would seem difficult to believe but it is magical realism in the novel that distorts our belief.

In conclusion, the genuine aspects of magical realism are all present in Chronicle of a Death Foretold, and it is the foundation of the novel that makes us believe the magical realism inside it. There is a real life setting in a small Columbian village that could have been anywhere else in the world. Gabriel-Garcia Marquez presents the story as a narrative in order to insure that the matter at hand was fully understood. He also noted real events such as the revolution. The dialogue throughout the book remains realistic, even though the events were unordinary and ludicrous. The characters of the book made it seem as if the events at hand were quite normal. It is this reality-based foundation with real people and places, a recognizable setting, and believable conversations that enables Marquez to tamper with the readers belief on real life situations that are exaggerated, humorous, bizarre, and superstitious an element known as magical realism.