Chronicle of a Death Foretold Essay Questions

Discuss the structure of the novel. How is it laid out-linearly, cyclically, randomly, or in some other way? How does this structure inform the novel's themes?

Who are what is most to blame for Santiago Nasar's murder and why? Is any person or social institution more to blame for Santiago's murder than others?

The narrator states that most of the townspeople thought that the main victim of the tragedy was Bayardo San Roman. Do you agree with their conclusion? Why or why not?

How important is the setting of the novel (in a small Colombian town)? In what ways does Colombian culture find expression in the people and events of the novel?

Discuss gender relations in the novel. How are men and women treated differently? Does this different treatment affect the novel's development? What do you believe to be Garcia Marquez' position with regard to this different treatment of men and women?

Look for evidence as to whether or not Santiago was really Angela's lover. Argue for or against this possibility.

Why do you think that Angela chose Santiago Nasar as her scapegoat? Would the novel have been different if she had chosen another character? What does it mean for Angela to have chosen a scapegoat at all?

What role do coincidences play in the novel? What do these coincidences mean in terms of the narrative? Is fate solely-or at least largely-responsible for Santiago's death? How does narrative itself generally treat coincidences? Pay close attention to the judges remark that many of the coincidences in the event are not "allowed" to literature.

Garcia Marquez is a famous proponent of magical realism. Citing specific examples, discuss the existence or non-existence of this genre in Chronicle of a Death Foretold

Discuss animal imagery in Chronicle of a Death Foretold, concentrating on Santiago in particular. Note his dream of birds, the butterfly analogy in the discussion of Angela's accusation, and other instances in which Santiago is compared, expressly or obliquely, to an animal. Along these lines, what part do Santiago Nasar's dogs play in the novel?