Written task 3
Rationale:
Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s ‘Chronicle of a Death Foretold’ is wonderful piece of art. The pseudo-
journalistic narrative style gives a really different experience of story
reading. Although sometimes the narrator expresses his own opinion or feelings,
most of the time he trying to reconstruct the story on the basis of what the
people of the town tell him. Starting at twenty years later is another factor
that makes the narrative interesting. The memory of Santiago Nasar’s murder is
gradually fading. As a result of this long time gap some events have many
different versions, coming from different people. On the other hand, this long
time gap also allows many firsthand witnesses and some other involved parties
to go away. Thus, this time gap causes the loss some important inputs. Most
importantly, the narrative doesn’t have the option to engage with Angela Vicario
at a deeper level and explore her feelings about her wedding or the murder of Santiago
Nasar. Because of this silence, we never get to know her feelings and might
also think her to be deceitful and insensitive. However, I felt that there
might have been something that made her act the way she acted. She lived in a
society where women had practically no life. They could make no decision about
their own lives. Even if she loved someone, she could never get to express
that. on the other hand, Bayardo’s entry is so quick and powerful that she has
no way but to submit. It must have been a hard and troubling experience for
her- making that huge decision. In my written task I chose to write an
imaginary diary entry for Angela where she expresses her feelings about the
coming marriage.
The entire town is busy enjoying my wedding. It seems to be
some kind of festival. Everyone is celebrating it. I am also supposed to be happy. Of course I
should be happy. Which girl won’t like having a husband like Bayardo? A nice
man, with so much of wealth and a nice family, he is the best one could have.
And still I don’t feel any excitement! During this brief period of courtship he
has poured his heart before me. What could be more Romantic than that? but
still I don’t feel any joy. It seems that my heart is lost somewhere else. Yes,
I don’t love Bayardo. He has got everything to charm my family or anybody else.
But charming someone and taking someone’s heart are two different things. And
my heart, which is already taken...he is never going to have it. I was raised
to be a perfect daughter, a perfect sister and finally a perfect wife. When was
i going to be myself? I could not choose my parents or my siblings, but I can
choose my love, my life partner. My choices make what I am. I am going to marry
Bayardo but my heart is already of someone else. Yes, I broke the norms of the
society and I put my family’s honour at stake, but I am happy that I made a
choice. I chose my lover. Even if this is going to be the end, our sweet memories
will keep my spirit alive.
The time of wedding is nearing and I can still not believe
that it is really happening. I am beautiful and from a good family, but that
doesn’t mean Bayardo should marry me. He is rich. He can marry any beautiful
girl from some rich family. Why did he choose me? God! I am cursed. He has just
seen me from outside. He has no idea who I really am. He expects me to be a
‘virtuous’ maiden. But what worth this virtue has? Is it better than love? I
had those few moments of ultimate pleasure. It was a heavenly experience. Am I
going to gain the same things in this marriage? I will be his wife, but I don’t
love him. How hollow I will feel when I tell him that I love him. With a simple
ritual he will own me. He will become my master. He can use my body in any way
he wants. But what about my soul? It will never be his. It will just keep
sitting in a far away corner, watching my body being used. Will my soul still
remain inside my body? How can it after watching my body defiled! I wish I
could die with those heavenly moments in my heart...feeling my love’s angel
like presence. This wedding is my doom. This wedding is the demise of my soul.
And see how the whole town is busy in celebrating! These are my people. They
say they love me. Strange, isn’t it? They have never really tried to understand
what is in my heart. They have never thought, even for a single moment, how i
would feel with a man who is total stranger to my heart: like a prostitute,
just an official one.
All the preparations are done and everyone is in hurry now. It
seems all are impatient for the feast and revelry. I have been decorated for
the wedding. DECORATED! My head is spinning. This is huge step in my life. I am
going to enter a life which is completely strange to me. It seems as if I am
caught in a storm and it is dragging me forward. But have I resisted? No... not
even once. I just surrendered. Why did I become so weak? I should have stood up
and said, “I don’t love this man and I won’t marry him. I love somebody else.
Only he could share my body and my soul.” Then why didn’t I do that? I know
why. How would it matter what I tell them? Who am I to make my own decisions?
Despite of all the dreams, reality decides our fate. A woman is born to be governed.
She is born to serve. Where is her liberation? My family knew that they could
never find a match as good as Bayardo San Roman
because they are too poor to do that. It will not only save their family
honour but rather increase it. What else would they expect? But what about my
future now? Bayardo is no different from other men. He might act all Romantic
and fancy, but deep in heart he is the same...he would also expect me to be
modest, virtuous and obedient. Stupid male vanity! Everything is a matter of
honour for them. Must be very fragile! And why do they always place their
honour in women and then imprison us in their rules in the name of protecting
it. We take care of their honour and they enjoy their manly freedom. I wonder
how Bayardo would react when he discovers that i am not a maiden. His honour
will be pricked I guess. How do i care! Maximum that he could do is to give me
a cold shoulder, ignore me or leave me. I am just submitting to my fate now. May
time take care of the rest. Amen.
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