Critical Comparison of the Content and Literary Devices Used in Bon Voyage, Mr. President by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and The Perplexing Simplicity of a Lack of Nothing
Bon Voyage, Mr President is a short story written by Gabriel Garcia
Marquez. This is a tale of a South American President in exile.
Nearing the end of his days, we are given an insight into the life of
a man with injured pride, reminiscing the days that went by and so
fast, where the President had lost everything he had worked for and
knew.
Quotes
Bon Voyage, Mr. President
‘Resting on the silver handle of his cane’
This quotation emphasises the Presidents elegance and importance. His
importance is enforced by the fact he carries a cane and not a common
walking stick. A cane being the common tool of intimidation used by
the military and by those who feel they are superior to the average
civilian. The silver handle on the cane illustrates his elegance. He
had style, elegance and capital, as well as authority, his overall
effect being a man of status.
‘He was one more incognito in the city of illustrious incognitos’
This quotation is a contradiction. Incognito means in disguise, while
illustrious means to stand out. This paradox sums up the President;
he wants to not be noticed, but still wants fame. So while wearing
clothes everyone else was wearing, something would make him stand
out. He wants fame and power, but not for being the President in
exile.
‘Only the weariness of his skin betrayed the state of his health’
Where the president dressed stylishly, with fine clothes, and his hair
did not give away hints of age, with strands of grey...
... middle of paper ...
...lk shirt with cotton shorts’. This Rhetoric gives
the opposite impression to which Bon Voyage, Mr. President was trying
to bestow. This is an easy mistake, but if read together would
confuse the reader.
The Perplexing Simplicity of a Lack of Nothing is a very difficult
piece to understand, with maybe hidden meaning. There was hardly any
significance that could be drawn from it. A huge failure, of the
author, was that, there did not seem to be any constant story line,
there was a base, but the majority jumped from idea to idea. Also,
the words used were difficult to comprehend in a short story and too
many used too close together. This material was more novel quality
rather than an extract or short story, the author should have kept in
mind what type of story they were asked to compose and not trail from
it.
After reading The Book of the Unknown Americans, I realized how difficult immigrating to the United States can be. I am an immigrant also, so just reading the story makes me relate to many problems immigrants experience relocating to a different country. Immigrants often face many issues and difficulties, but for some it is all worth it, but for others there comes a point in time where they have to go back to their hometown. Alma and Arturo Rivera came to the United States to better their life, but also so that Maribel could attend a special education school. While Arturo had a job things had gone well for the family, but once Arturo lost the job and passed away the two of them had to go back because they felt that that was the best option for them. Reading this book made me realize how strong an individual has to be to leave their own country and relocate somewhere else not knowing if this will better your life or cause one to suffer.
Márquez, Gabriel García. “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.” The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ed. Booth, Alison, and Kelly J. Mays. London: W.W. Norton & Company Inc., 2011. 269-274. Print.
Don Quixote, written around four hundred years ago, has endured the test of time to become one of the world’s finest examples of literature; one of the first true novels ever written. It’s uncommonness lies in the fact that it encompasses many different aspects of writing that spans the spectrum. From light-hearted, comical exchanges between Don Quixote and Sancho Panza to descriptions so strong that produce tangible images, the book remains steadfast in any reader’s mind.
Wood, Michael. "Review of One Hundred Years of Solitude." In Critical Essays on Gabriel Garcia Marquez. McMurray, George R., ed. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1987.
In the story “A Very Old Man With Wings”, Gabriel Garcia Marquez writes about the
On Translation and García Márquez – A speech delivered by Edith Grossman at the 2003 PEN Tribute to García Márquez.
García, Márquez Gabriel, and Gregory Rabassa. One Hundred Years of Solitude. New York: HarperCollins, 2006. Print.
"Garcia Marquez - Papers: "One Hundred Years and Chronicle"" Garcia Marquez - Papers: "One Hundred Years and Chronicle" N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
In the short story “ Artificial Roses” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Marquez explores guilt, and its relationship with the church, as well as in the family structure. In the story there are two main characters. Mina, a young woman, who makes a living by creating roses, out of paper and wires, and her blind grandmother. The first thing you learn about the pair is that they share a room. There is an obvious sense from Mina that she feels her personal space is invaded by her blind grandmother. As noted in the film old women are the ones who tell the stories, and have “magical powers.” But Mina is unaware of her grandmothers power of perception, and in the story Mina learns that her grandmother is quite aware of Mina’s actions. The story is essentially a battle of wits, and undeniable guilt, between the two.
Juan Rulfo utilizes the experience of the reader as they progress together through Pedro Paramo as an allegory for Juan Preciado’s journey and as a mechanism to emphasize the meaningless of time. Reader response enhances the effect of structural peculiarities, setting, and time distortion in order to more completely convey the message of the novel. This interaction between reader and text brings the town of Comala to life far more effectively than a standard, chronological narrative could.
By using certain ideas, authors can express messages or themes. How do you think Gabriel Garcia Marquez gets across his idea in “The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World?” Marquez gets across his ideas of inspiring others and change through his use of word choice, imagery, and symbolism.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez background has been influenced as many people in small Colombian towns with magical stories loaded of divinity when the strange event of nature has no other way to be explain from them(Latin people) that divinity, even when any event has an scientific explanation is not accept for them because of the culture. This...
Cien Anos de Soledad Style in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude is closely linked to myth. Marquez chooses magic realism over the literal, thereby placing the novel's emphasis on the surreal. To complement this style, time in One Hundred Years of Solitude is also mythical, simultaneously incorporating circular and linear structure (McMurray 76).
In this essay I will be talking about the author’s literary technique, such as imagery, theme, Magical realism and describe its effect on the story.”
understanding of love, truth and honesty he reaches sanity and dies in purity of the