Examples Of Stereotyping In Chronicle Of A Death Foretold

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Stereotyping: the act of viewing someone as a fixed or oversimplified image of a particular type of person. We all do it, whether we mean to or not, but do we ever stop to think about the effect stereotyping has on our society? Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a novel set in Colombia in the 1950's which follows a narrator as he goes back to the town where one of his best friends was murdered almost 30 years earlier, to investigate what actually happened, and who was or was not involved. Throughout the story, the reader learns more about the society they live in, how machismo and honor are both important parts of their lives, and about the murder of the narrator's dear friend Santiago. Santiago is brutally slaughtered by twin brothers, Pedro and Pablo, whose duty is to kill him because he allegedly took their sister Angela's virginity, an accusation made when she was returned by her husband of only a few hours after their marriage ceremony. Angela is mortified, beaten, and hidden away by her mother for the remainder of her life because of this shameful act. Women in their society do not have the same opportunities and privileges as men, but after Angela is returned by the husband who had chosen her to be his wife, she has even more limitations on what she can do with her life.

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