Ideas and issues in "the visit" and "a chronicle of a death foretold".

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IDEAS AND ISSUES IN “THE VISIT” AND “A CHRONICLE OF A DEATH FORETOLD”

Nicolas Antippas

Mr. Mark Lindberg

English 11

25/05/02


 Nicolas Antippas

Mr. Mark Lindberg

English 11

26/05/02

Ideas and Issues

        Many works of contemporary literature discuss ideas and topics which are seen in the world around us today. These themes are either directly demonstrated or implied. Two works as such are “The Visit” by Friedrich Durrenmatt and “A Chronicle of a Death Foretold” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The issues raised in these two books are justice, communication, tradition, and moral values.

        Tradition is the ongoing obligation to commit to something, which is an act that has existed for many years. More often than not, tradition helps keep a community in one piece, much like laws do. In other cases, tradition obligates people and makes them do things they normally wouldn’t do. In “A Chronicle of a Death Foretold”, tradition is one of the forces that drives the Vicario twins to kill Santiago Nasar and therefore clean their family’s name. However, the Vicario brothers try to escape tradition. They had a debt which they greatly doubted and criticized. They know what the whole town expects them to do. But on the other side, their everyday life and friendship with Santiago Nasar, their victim, fills them with haste to fulfill tradition and  do their pre-said duty. In “The Visit”, it’s tradition in the first place that brings the much anticipated lady Zachanassian to Guellen. So, in other words, tradition kills Ill as well as Santiago Nasar.

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        Intertwined with the complications of tradition are the moral values behind any clearly human act. The only reason tradition has always been so difficult to adhere to is because of the moral issues behind the acts that tradition is composed of. This is seen in both pieces. In “A Chronicle of a Death Foretold”, the Vicario brothers are in a state of great misfortune not only because of the shame inflicted upon the Vicario family name but also because of the deed the have to carry out. However they also want their duty to be done. In an attempt to ...

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