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Architecture as a Motif in Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia

Kirby Jacobs IB Number: 0943 #### Written Assignment Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Word Count: 1,507

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In the novel, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, by Gabriel Garcia, a nameless narrator describes a murder that happened twenty-seven years ago in his village in Columbia. The story starts with the victim, Santiago Nasar leaving his front door early on a rainy Monday morning to see the Bishop at the docks. Only an hour later he is carved up like a pig on the very stoop of the door from which he had left just hours before. Throughout the rest of the novel the story as to why and who killed Santiago is revealed. The plot line moves inconsecutively as the story is told with a first person point of view that also includes everyone elses thoughts on the murder. With these revelations Garcia uses many motifs and symbols through the course of his story to institute a pattern of ideas. The motif of architecture creates a literal and theoretical gateway through the symbolism of doors and structure in order to present characterization, societal opinion, and destiny in Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia. One example of how architecture functions in characterization is through symbolic gateways provided by the doors in the village. Doors are a literal access point and thus parallel to the characterization it enables. Although the main narrative is focused on him, Santiago remains much of a mystery throughout the novel. All that is really said is that he was a child of a marriage of convenience, he was handsome and rich, innocent of the crime he was accused of, and because of his deceased father he appreciated bravery, guns, and hunting. Santiagos fathers house, a former two story warehouse, with two stories, walls of rough planks, and a peaking tin roof, (Marquez 10) was redone as an open, sociable home with its large windows and many rooms. However, despite his fathers vision of the house, Santiago can be characterized as a reserved and private person in contrast to his father because he barred the front door and closed all the windows once his father passed. Santiagos front door, which remained closed and barred (Marquez 10) except on special occasions, shows his self-conscience tendencies in that

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he refuses to open himself to the public unless he is at his best. Maria Cervantes is characterized by her house with open doors (Marquez 64) through their portrayal of her inviting personality. Not only do the open and inviting doors represent her kind disposition, they connote her sexual promiscuity. When people come to her she opens up to them for their refuge or sexual enjoyment. Maria Cervantes is also characterized as a guarded individual by the structure of her house. Maria refuses to settle down with any one man, keeping her heart guarded and putting up a front parallel to the fortress structure of her home. The strange man is called Bayardo San Roman, and everybody says he is enchanting, but I havent seen him. (Marquez 26) Bayardo was a strange, mysterious man who came to the village in search of a bride. All the townsfolk were enthralled with his powerful presence and many women were jealous when he chose Angela to be his bride. The widowers house is a symbol of the pure life Angela wishes she could obtain but Bayardo has a superficial and materialistic desire for it. Bayardo does not see the how Xius, the widower, could have any appreciation for it aside from that of its beauty. Offering ten bundles of thousand peso notes, Bayardo is characterized as a man who believes he is entitled to anything, and everything has a price he can pay. Xius sees this self-entitlement within him and say Bayardo is too young to understand motives of the heart. (Marquez 36) This portrays Bayardo as a young nave boy with much to learn of life. After sending away his bride, Bayardo deserts the upkeep of the house just as he had deserted Angela. The house characterizes Bayardo because, like the house, Bayardo begins to rot away and leave nothing but a weather-rotted carcass (Marquez 87). The purpose of architecture is to shelter the individual whom inhabits it; however, what provides safety can also be restrictive. Societal opinion, the view of the community towards specific characters, is reflected by and a result of the architectural attributes of their home.

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Marquez describes the physical features of Santiagos house and includes the history that it had been built in the days when the river was so usable that many seagoing barges and even a few tall ships (Marquez 10-11) traveled through the waters. By living in a house by this waterway, though no longer in use, it shows how the Arab family was foreign to the town and the river was their link to the outside and the familiar culture and community they had left behind. They were never truly accepted by the people in the village; the town did not know much about Santiago except his decision to enter and leave primarily through the back door. Santiagos shadowed travels primarily through the back created a negative air of mystery. As a result, the community assumed he had something to hide because he did not want to be out in the open. Marias house, resembling a fortress of sorts, had an open courtyard for dancing and festivities with walls on three sides. The protection of the side walls portray not only her guarded personality but also the way she is protected from the society. As inviting as Maria is, she also knows how to control situations and close the door, literally and metaphorically. Described as the most elegant and the most tender woman [the narrator has] ever known. (Marquez 64), Maria is not only adored for her lovely personality, she is respected as well. Despite her profession as a prostitute, normally looked down upon with distaste, Maria manages to obtain a livelihood, a large house and many friends. As soon as anyone steps through a doorway into the architecture of any structure, they are immediately contained. This envelopment plays an immense role in the determination of any individual' subsequent actions and reactions. Destiny, the inevitable fate of a character or event, is foretold through and results from the architecture depicted within the novel. The closed and barred door (Marquez 10) from which Santiago rarely exits or enters symbolizes his disconnection with the society. It is because of this separation that his name is chosen by Angela

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and consequently why he is killed. If Santiago had been more open and sociable with the public they may not have been so quick to believe the accusation. The Fatal Door (Marquez 12), which he thought to be open, was barred up like his life and he was unable to escape. It was ironically right outside his home where the twins stabbed him to death, thus exemplifying the architectures restricting abilities in contrast to the shelter it normally provides. The scene of the massacre, the front door, also shows the opinion of the community through the placement of the knife. The knife in the door (Marquez 67) illustrates the villagers distrust and dislike of Santiago because it pierces his barred up life. Maria works as a prostitute and yet is a valued individual in the community. This paradox allows her to also be open and guarded at the same time. Marias ability to not only open but regulate her home and work decide her destiny. The balance she created destines her to continue her life as a static character. By forcing his money upon Xius to ensure he has what Angela wants, Bayardo taints the purity of the house and it crumbles (Marquez, 87), as Angela herself is tainted, thus destining him for ruin in his upcoming nuptials. Architecture provides a vital structure in which the reader must recognize in order to understand the characters the story contains. Motifs are recurring structures or literary devices that help to develop major and universal themes. By analyzing the functions of architecture as a motif, the readers get a more profound understanding of the characters and why specific events may or may not occur. This gateway for characterization, societal opinion, and destiny brings the book together as whole and clarifies its points to anyone who chooses to read it.

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Works Cited: arc a, M rquez abriel. Chronicle of a Death Foretold. New York: Knopf, 1983. Print.