The matter surrounding the virginity of women in the book Chronicles of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez conveys a message of the value of purity and the unrecognized power of the community’s women through Angela Vicario's refusal to fake her deflowering on her wedding night. The prominent irony that accompanies the town's strong stance on women’s virginity before marriage is perpetuated by the women in the town through their practice of faking virginity in order to keep the structure of the town. When Angela Vicario defies these cultural norms she spurs a reaction that impacts and exposess the lives of those in the community along with underlying construction of the entire town.
Throughout the book the author makes clear that …show more content…
In order to perpetuate their unacknowledged upper hand in this town the older women attempt to bring every girl into their fold once they eventually becomes immersed into their“womanhood. When Angelo Vicario herself became aware that she only had to worry about “what they see on the sheet” (Marquez, 22-23) she was not able to accept this “illusion” that controlled the integrity and function of the town. Angela’s decision to “not do any of what they told [her] because she realized it was something dirty that shouldn’t be done to anybody.”( Marquez,54) was so significant because she nearly altered the underhand power structure of the women in the town and exposed the ironic nature of the town's value systems. Moreover, her mother knew of the threat she nearly caused and that was her reasoning for “beating[her] with such rage that [Angela] thought she was going to kill [her]” ( Marquez, 28) over Angela’s decision and no one “[found] out about anything until dawn” (Marquez 28). In order to reconcile with her mother for her decisions and attempt to shift the focus away from the questionability of the her role in this situation, Angela uses her power as a women to make this a matter of Santiago Nasar's supposed dishonorable acts. The fact that Angela Vicario was able to even cause such a prominent scandal within the town and shift the issue away from …show more content…
At times throughout history minority groups and colonized nations are perceived as being controlled by larger, public powers. But with tactical knowledge the minority or defined group can consequently become the more powerful figure in a system. When one person makes a decision to defy societal structures it can impact a larger society and have a profound butterfly effect nearly taking down a whole constructed system. In the book the women had no problem giving the community the perception that their values controlled the fate of their lives and defined their worth but rather worked with the system they were in to craft a structure that gave them the power and from one person’s actions these intentions were
Throughout the book the author makes clear that …show more content…
In order to perpetuate their unacknowledged upper hand in this town the older women attempt to bring every girl into their fold once they eventually becomes immersed into their“womanhood. When Angelo Vicario herself became aware that she only had to worry about “what they see on the sheet” (Marquez, 22-23) she was not able to accept this “illusion” that controlled the integrity and function of the town. Angela’s decision to “not do any of what they told [her] because she realized it was something dirty that shouldn’t be done to anybody.”( Marquez,54) was so significant because she nearly altered the underhand power structure of the women in the town and exposed the ironic nature of the town's value systems. Moreover, her mother knew of the threat she nearly caused and that was her reasoning for “beating[her] with such rage that [Angela] thought she was going to kill [her]” ( Marquez, 28) over Angela’s decision and no one “[found] out about anything until dawn” (Marquez 28). In order to reconcile with her mother for her decisions and attempt to shift the focus away from the questionability of the her role in this situation, Angela uses her power as a women to make this a matter of Santiago Nasar's supposed dishonorable acts. The fact that Angela Vicario was able to even cause such a prominent scandal within the town and shift the issue away from …show more content…
At times throughout history minority groups and colonized nations are perceived as being controlled by larger, public powers. But with tactical knowledge the minority or defined group can consequently become the more powerful figure in a system. When one person makes a decision to defy societal structures it can impact a larger society and have a profound butterfly effect nearly taking down a whole constructed system. In the book the women had no problem giving the community the perception that their values controlled the fate of their lives and defined their worth but rather worked with the system they were in to craft a structure that gave them the power and from one person’s actions these intentions were