Chronicle of A Death Foretold Unit
Chronicle of A Death Foretold Unit
Chronicle of A Death Foretold Unit
Each group of two (to four)* will choose one of the following topics (via lottery). Your group
will be responsible for tracking that topic throughout the novel. After becoming experts on the
topic, you will share their knowledge with the entire class.
1.
Women in the novel: their aspirations, the choices available to them, dependence on men
or independence from men.
2.
The code of honor that functions in this society. What are the assumptions / principles on
which this code is based? The role of honor in the novel.
3.
Physicality vs. spirituality. Show how Garcia Marquezs language reflects both the
physical and spiritual forces at work in human life.
4.
Religion and superstition. What role does religion and/or the supernatural play in the
lives of the villagers?
5.
Imagery and Symbols. What are the most important images and symbols in the story?
How are they used in the story? What effect do they have on the story?
6.
Fate vs. free will. What vision of human nature does the novel depict? Are human
beings in control of their destiny?
7.
Machismo and the male role in this society. How do males themselves view this role?
8.
Tragedy vs. comedy. The key element of tragedy is the inevitability of suffering (in other
words, the outcome cannot be prevented). A comedy, on the other hand, often depends
upon ridiculous and seemingly random coincidences (we laugh precisely because we did
not expect such an outcome). Look at this novel as both tragedy AND comedy.
9.
Surrealism and Magical Realism. What are these? How are they used in the story? What
effect do they have on the story?
What information does the first paragraph of the novel give you about the story that is
going to unfold?
2.
Why doesnt Victoria Guzmn warn Santiago Nasar about the men who are going to kill
him?
3.
What signs does Santiago Nasar overlook that would have forewarned him of the
impending crime?
4.
What impression does the writer give you of the bishop and of the townspeoples relation
of him?
5.
How does the writer communicate the animosity of the poor towards the rich in the
novel?
6.
7.
What aspects of physical violence do you observe in the activities of the townspeople?
Find examples from the book.
8.
9.
In what ways are the wedding festivities unusual for the town?
10.
11.
12.
How have the Vicario sisters been raised? What is it about them that the narrators
mother notes is particularly unusual and virtuous?
13.
What is shown about Bayardo San Romn when he buys the house belonging to the
widower Xius?
14.
15.
Why does the narrators mother consider Angela Vicarios putting on the wedding veil to
be an act of courage?
16.
Which of the townspeople were forewarned of the murder? What are their reasons for not
having spoken to Santiago Nasar about it?
17.
How does the writer build suspense about the fate of Santiago Nasar? Why doesnt it
matter that you know what has happened from the beginning?
18.
Describe the autopsy that is performed on Nasar. Who does it? What is the narrators
opinion of it?
19.
What is ironic about the description of Nasars wounds as stigmata and about the
description of his brain made during the autopsy?
20.
After the murder and the autopsy, how do people recollect their impression of its effect
on the town?
21.
Who is considered to be the only one who had lost everything? In what way is this
accurate or inaccurate?
22.
What are the fates of the members of the Vicario family after the murder?
23.
What plea do the Vicario twins make at their trial? What is your assessment of the
accuracy of this plea?
24.
In what ways does Angela Vicario change after the murder? What does she realize about
her mother? About Bayardo San Romn? How does she deal with this?
25.
What is the effect of the murder on the people of the town? How do those who could
have done something to prevent it console themselves?
26.
What are some of the coincidences that conspired to allow the Vicario brothers to be
successful in their murder of Santiago Nasar?
27.
What does magistrate conclude about Nasars implication in the crime? On what basis
does he draw his conclusion?
28.
What is the narrators assessment of Nasars feelings at the time of his death?
29.
30.
What instances are given to show that the Vicario brothers do not want to carry out the
murder?
31.
How does Santiago Nasar learn that the Vicario brothers are going to kill him? How does
he react to this information?
32.
Why does Plcida Linero, Nasars mother, bolt the front door of the house?
33.
What are Nasars actions after the Vicario brothers attack is concluded?
34.
35.