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Reflections on a Year of Reading Colombia Literature 

Titles read

No One Writes to the Colonel

Chronicle of A Death Foretold

Love in the Time of Cholera

When I had the time to pick my country, I picked Colombia. I thought it would be different but still similar to the country where I come from Guatemala. I wanted to learn more about a country I had heard so many good things about and expand my knowledge about a different culture. After reading my second book, Chronicle of A Death Foretold, by Gabriel Garcia, Marquez I realized that Colombian literature is about the tragic events that happen in daily life.  No One Writes to the Colonel made me think things through about the way Spanish governments handle stuff and how they take advantage of genuine people. I learned about Colombia’s politics by only reading half of a book, that’s how much a book can teach you. Every detail in the books also shows the beauty Colombia brings and the way people handle issues. Picking Colombia was the right choice for me because it gave me the right idea of how their culture is and how Gabriel portrays it. 

What I learned from reading Colombia literature is that we’re so blinded by the beautiful colors the country shows us that we never get to think about what people actually go through behind those beautiful walls. I also learned how good Gabriel Gracia’s literature is at explaining what a person struggles with especially their love lives. In the book, Love in the Time of Cholera, Marquez talks about Florentino and his struggle in his love life. All the wars he had to go through just to find Fermina again. Just to find out that an illness was going to keep them together for the rest of their lives. From that book, I learn that if it’s meant to be then it’ll come back to you. 

Chronicle of A Death Foretold was my favorite book. It explains the struggle of a ma, Santiago,  who was only trying to find love but found it at the wrong time and at the wrong spot which cost him his life. He only wanted love towards Angela, never hate, so he never expected to be killed by his genuine intentions. Everyone in the town that he lived in knew he was going to get killed but him. I learn from this book to be careful who you trust and who you’re vulnerable with. 

No one writes to the Colonel was a book I didn’t get to finish but taught me enough about the Colombian government. A colonel who served time for the Colombian government was promised a check which he never received and caused him to be into poverty along with his wife. His struggles to be heard and to receive what he deserved showed how good of a man he was. He still tried to find ways to gain money back and get himself and his wife out of poverty. This book taught me to never give up and always keep trying but to watch who you trust.

During this time of reading, I learn that in every reading the image that the author provides brings you to a scene as if you were part of the story as well and that’s what persuades the reader. I realized how good reading is to understand other people’s personalities and the way they deal with things. Reading made me expand my knowledge and create an open mind for myself. Taking that time out of my day to also expand my vocabulary has helped me in my personal world. I also learned how to be open-minded about learning about other cultures because it’s not always what you think it is.

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Week 20 Blog

No one writes to the Colonel

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Pages read: 40 ( 30 - 70)

S U M M A R Y (189)

The pages I read this week still talk very highly about the colonel's check which was supposed to arrive 5 years ago but never did. Being stuck in poverty with his wife and being informed he was never able to receive his check he finds ways to get money to maintain his and his wife by trying to sell a rooster. He thought Saba had gotten a deal since he told him he could obtain 900 pesos from the rooster. Never did he receive a letter of confirmation in the mail which made him lose hope for a moment. A circus comes to the colonel’s town and hears of a rooster fight and thinks that is his best chance to gain a certain amount of money. He took his time to prepare the rooster, he fed him as if he was a human. His wife began to feel as if he was only paying attention to the rooster and not her (she was sick) but she never understood the effort he was putting into trying to get out of poverty, she never understood that he was doing it for her. 

C R I T I C A L    A N A L Y S I  S (110)

A quote that fits this week’s reading is "You present yourself as if you were begging alms when you ought to go there with your head high and take our friend aside..."  because it talks about the image the colonel portraits. It’s important because the town and the government think he’s a fragile person whos in poverty after being known as a “colonel.” He’s told that he’s been taken advantage from the government because he portrays himself as a weak man, with his head down just like the quote mentions, “as if you were begging alms…” since he begged so much for his money. He’s been told to keep his head high and present himself as if he was confident to gain the check he deserves.

P E R S O N A L    R E S P O N C E (109)

This chapter also highlights the colonels’ survival skill in trying to get money for his wife just trying to sell a rooster. I personally feel for him and the situation that he’s stuck in because I know governments take advantage of poor people but especially in Spanish countries since people are not used to speaking up because they know they’re not going to get anywhere. Colombia’s government is wrong for taking his money as he served for them. 

The effort he’s doing getting his rooster into a rooster fight just to gain some money for his sick fine you can tell he really wants to get out of his poverty. 

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"You present yourself as if you were begging alms when you ought to go there with you head high and take our friend aside..."

By Gabriel Garcia Marquez, No One writes to the Colonel. Pg. (45)

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Week 19 Blog

No One Writes To The Colonel

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Pages read: 30 (1-30)

Week 19  Blog

Summary (194)

The first chapter of No One Write to the Colonel talks about an elderly retired colonel living in poverty with his wife in a small town in Colombia who’s been waiting for a pension he was promised for his service in the army, but it has not arrived after fifteen years. Their son, Agustin, was killed in a political rebellion ten years earlier. 

While he worries for his pension the colonel visits the post office every Friday, hoping for news about his pension, but each time he leaves empty-handed. He meets his friend Sabas, who suggests that they should sell the coffin they have been keeping for their son and use the money to start a business. The colonel refuses, saying that the coffin is the only thing he has left of his son. 

The days go by and towards the end of the chapter the colonel receives a letter from the government informing him that his pension has been denied, and he must return all the money he has received as an advance. The colonel tears up the letter in frustration and despair, realizing that he and his wife are left with nothing.

Critical Analysis (101)

A quote that stood out to me  was, " Now Agustin was dead, and the bright satin material had been eaten away by the months.” Talking about when the colonel and his wife lost their son. I believe it also means all the time that has passed since he’s gone. 

The author talks about how the Colonel’s wife dreams about their son and sometimes feels him close and speaks to him. Apart from that, his wife has asthma and she’s in need of the colonels’ help at all times so he gets to hear her speaking to Agustin. 

Personal response (120)

Chapter 1 is a heartbreaking introduction to the main character, the Colonel, and his struggles with poverty and the loss of his son while still waiting for his pension that he was promised for the past fifteen years. Not only that but having to me the support of this wife because of her condition, shows the struggles he’s going through. 

This also shows how the Colombian government handles things and the unfairness of the situation. They take full advantage of people in need even after serving their country, his loyalty, and his sacrifices are never acknowledged. I’m excited to see how these next chapters persuade me into reading more and finding out more information about his pension being taken away. 

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" Now Agustin was dead, and the bright satin material had been eaten away by the months"

By Gabriel Garcia Marquez, No One Writes to the Colonel. Pg. (5)

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Week 18 Blog

Chronicle Of A Death Foretold

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Pages read: 22 ( 121 - 143)

Summary (189)

In the last chapter of "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" the narrator, who is investigating the murder of Santiago Nasar, discovers that the Vicario twins, who killed Santiago, were not actually intending to murder him.

The narrator finds out that the Vicario twins had been planning to kill Santiago to gain revenge in the honor of their sister, who they believed had been taken advantage of by Santiago but later it becomes clear that the twins had no intention of following up with their plan, and that they were simply following through on a perceived obligation of their family.

No matter what, the people in the town did nothing to stop the murder, and Santiago is killed in front of the entire town. The narrator reflects on the many small decisions and events that led to the tragedy, and on the fact that Santiago's death could have been avoided if just one person had spoken up. 

The novel ends with the narrator wondering about the nature of fate and whether Santiago's death was truly planned or whether it was the result of a series of human choices and failings

Critical Analysis (115)

A quote that stood out to me this week was, “ He stumbled on the last step, but he got up at once.” After Santiago was brutally stabbed multiple times he still got up and tried to walk towards his home while the whole town was watching him die. It left a huge impression on me because nobody bothered to help him.

Santiago really suffered for no reason. He didn’t deserve the actions of someone’s revenge. Santiago never thought his love for Angela Vicario was going to turn him into an angel. Although he was killed I personally believe he didn’t regret falling in love with Angela because the connection he had with her was impeccable. 

Personal response (114)

The end of this book taught me how big people’s actions can turn and the consequences of your choices. The tragic nature of Santiago's death highlights the destructive power of societal norms and expectations, as well as the danger of blindly following tradition and their pride without questioning their validity or morality. 

Not only did people do nothing about it but they watched it happen and just reading about that shows how people felt about Santiago. It definitely left a huge impression on me and how the tragic nature of human existence occurs. It was a great book to read and I would recommend it to people who are interested in mystery and drama. 

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"... he wrote a marginal note: Give me a prejudice and I will move the world"

By Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Chronicle Of A Death Foretold. (Pg. 117)

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"He was carrying a suitcase with clothing in order to stay and another just like it with almost two thousand letters that she had written him"

By Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Chronicle of A Death Foretold. (pg.111)

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" Pura Vicario wrapped the face of the rejected daughter in a cloth so that no one would see the bruises"

By Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Chronicle Of A Death Foretold. (Pg. 95)

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"The encephalic mass weighted sixty grams more than that of a normal Englishman"

By Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Chronicle Of A Death Foretold. (pg. 87)

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"We used to say that she would go to sleep only once and that would be to die"

By: Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Chronicle Of A Death Foretold. (pg. 74)

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"Those two aren't about to kill anybody, much less someone rich"

By Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Chronicle Of A Death Foretold. (pg. 63)

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Week 13 blog

Chronicle of A Death Foretold

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Pages read: 30

S U M M A R Y (145)

In this chapter it talks about a young man maned, Bayardo San Roman, who’s young, skinny with golden eyes. He’s looking for a young woman to marry and that’s when he notices Angela Vicario selling raffle tickets with her mother while holding a basket full of artificial flowers. Time passes by and he tries getting her attention but she wasn’t interested. Her family was. Their engagement only lasted 4 months…

The problem for Angela was wasn’t a viging which in her time was a big thing to be a virging in roder to get married. But that’s not the reason why their engagement lasted 4 months it was becauseBayarno was too much of a man, he wanted things done his ways. Which angela was more of a simple woman. After their separation angela was judged a lot by her community and her family of course.

C R I T I C A L    A N A L Y S I S (90)

“Angela Vicario had come to an end two hours before.”  In this quote Angela the narrator, Grabiel garcia, talks about a date Bayardo and Angela going out on a date and Angela abeing uncomfortable thats why it mentions, “come to an end two hours before.” Like I mentioned before she was more of a simple lady and Bayardo wasn’t, he wouldn’t understand her or how she wanted to see her future relationship to be. That’s why her relationship with Bayardo didn’t last as long as he and her family did.

P E R S O N A L    R E S P O N C E (108)

As a personal response I would’ve never accepted my parents making me marry a person I don’t want, especially if she was going to be spending the rest of her life with that person. I know that’s how timed worked back then but when you actually think about it it sounds really messed up. Angela Vicario didn’t want to marry Bayardo but she was forced by it and at that time she had to be a virgin to get married but she wasn’t so I understand from her point of view why she got married. So she didn’t get judged by her family, Bayardo’s family, and her community. 

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Week 12 blog

Chronicle Of A Death Foretold

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Pages read: 30

S U M M A R Y (151)

I read through chapter one this week and a lot happened. Santiago Nasar was killed which in my point of view he was/is the main charachter. The first talks about Santiago’s weird dreams and what I mean by that is that he would like dream about birds and trees and even tinfoil planes. “ The week before, he’d dreamed that he was alone in a tinfoil airplane and flying through the almond trees without bumping into anything.” His mother would know all about his dreams, Placida Linero.

Santiago was killed by two men, Pedro Vicario and Pablo Vicario, on the way to the bishop’s boat. The weird thing was that evrybody around him knew he was going to get killed but also thought Santiago knew. The thing is Santiago was killed for a misunderstanding involving Angela Vicario, a bride, her family thought he was something to do with taking her virginity.

C R I T I C A L    A N A L Y S I S (108)

The quote of this week was “She had been quartering three rabbits for lunch, surrounded by painting dogs, when Santiago Nasar entered the kitchen.” When reading the quote it’s disturbing at first but when you continue reading it makes more sense. It talks about the cook, Vitoria Guzman, making lunch that Santiago Nascar can had killed for his lunch. After you keep reading you analize the relation between the cook and Santiago. It wasn’t a good relation that they had. There was fear and disgustingness involved.  In her eyes he wasn’t a good ma. He would try to seduce her andact “just like his father” as she mentioned.

P E R S O N A L    R E S P O N C E (146)

As I ream this chapter I noticed that Santiago Nascar wasn’t liked by many people. He was just like his father, I would say a narcissistic person. He would only care about his appearance and his “dreams.” He would make mistakes and that’s why he was killed. Yah, it’s true he was killed because of a misunderstanding but he was involved for a reason. 

I found the beggining weird at first because they discibre his dreams very detailed like that’s the whole topic of the chapter but you later on realize that’s what it was most important to him. Like I mention he was avery narcissistic person and he would only care to tell people about his dreams. There was a lot of people involved that the author, Gabriel Marquez, mentions that don’t seem to have a great connection with him and I personally wouldn’t either. 

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"She had been quartering three rabbits for lunch, surrounded by painting dogs, when Santiago Nasar entered the kitchen"

By Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Chronicle Of A Death Foretold. (pg. 7)

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Blog of Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia M.

S U M M A R Y

This week I finished my book and I totally recommend it. It was a chaotic love story. Wars and outbreaks where involved, lovers who reunited after being apart for a long time had a rough journey in order to be together. At the end of the story though in order for Florentino and Fermina to be by themselves, Florentino instructs the ship's captain to raise the yellow flag, showing that cholera is present on board. Ironically, the fact that their love has turned into an illness allows them to be together forever, through both life and death. Meaning after they all went through they still were able to be together, even after death. 

C R I T I C A L    A N A L Y S I S

My favorite quote from this week was, “ From the moment I was born” Florentino Aritzia, “ I have never said anything I did not mean.” 

This quote show me and the people who are reading the story the type of man Florentino was. He was true about his words and actions and that’s why he lasted so long with Fermina Daza. He was true with his word even though their environment didn’t allow them to. 

Marquez knew what he was doing to attract people who are reading. They wanted to know the type of man Florentino was going to be throughout the story.

P E R S O N A L    R E S P O N C E

After finishing my book this week, I was left in confusion. Why was their love story so difficult? What I mean by that is that I felt like Florentino and Fermina’s love wasnt meant to be. It felt like the universe was against each other. It’s true though, “what’s meant for you will come back.” And that’s what happened here. 

They experienced challenges like wars that were supposed to tear them apart. Like I explained in the summary they were experiencing an illness that made them battle with their lives. 

Florentino was tired of the struggles just like he mention in his last sentence, “and how long do you think we can keep up this goddamn coming and going?” Although they went through a rough path they ended up dying together. Basically getting what they wanted, a lifetime together. 

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"...and the beauty queens with scorched flowers and crowns made of gold cardboard..."

-By Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Love in the Time of Cholera. (Pg. 272)