Chronicle of a Death Foretold

By: Camille Lopez

Topic Question
#22: - What is the role of the church in the novel? - How is religion presented?

Tradition
It was evident in the novel that the townspeople take their tradition very seriously. They abide by their beliefs on daily basis. "She had a well-earned reputation as an accurate interpreter of other people's dreams, provided they were told her before eating..." (4 Marquez).

Tradition (cont)
Used it for structure in life and in society. Gives the people a good reason to continue their old habits. Since we've done this before we'll just do it again.

Bishop
"'He won't even get off the boat... He'll give an obligatory blessing, as always, and go back the way he came. He hates this town" (8). There was a lot of people at the dock but the boat never stopped. "...the bishop began to make the sign of the cross in the air opposite the crowd on the pier, and he kept on doing it mechanically afterwards, without malice or inspiration..." (17).

Questions
Why did the bishop just passed by the town? Wouldn't the church want to spread their religion instead of avoiding the people? The bishop made the cross 'without inspiration'?

The Scandal
"Angela Vicario... had been returned to the house of her parents, because her husband has discovered that she wasn't a virgin" (21). Broke the tradition and the bishop went to another town that were less disgraceful.

Role of the Church

They try to enforce tradition to everybody. People become outcasts once their reputation is tainted. The Vicario twins decided to avenge their sister (and their family's name) by killing Santiago.

Literary Technique
Religion is presented in the novel by: RELIGIOUS NUMBERS! Marquez used numbers 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, and 12. Mostly associated with time. Represent significant connections with the Bible.

Two
Bayardo was two hours late for the wedding. Vicario twins. Xius died two months later. Divine and human, male and female, honorable and dishonorable boats.

Three
Bayardo knocked three times. The Vicario brothers couldn't sleep for three nights. Santiago was stabbed three times before falling down. The Holy Trinity, Jesus appeared in the past, present, and the future.

Four
Santiago wentsang infront of Xius's house at four in the morning. Santiago swallowed a medal when he was four. Seasons and directions.

Six
Six minor wounds on hands and arms. The guard in the prison took Pedro to the washroom six times. Six letters in six months. Man was created on the 6th day and 666 is the antichrist's number.

Seven
Santiago had seven major wounds. Seven days in a week.

Ten
Offered Xius ten thousand for the house. Ten bundles of thousand pesos. 10th year: Angela wrote a twenty page letter. Ten Commandments.

Twelve
Twelve inch knife. Santiago was diagnosed with hepatitis at the age of twelve. The case was presented in the court twelve days after the murder. The 12 Apostles.

THE END!