By Khushboo Rajpal

B.A Programme III

18651

Write a critical analysis of Balthazar's

Marvellous Afternoon

Overview:
Gabriel García Márquez was one of the most well-known Latin American writers who wrote
many acclaimed nonfiction works, novels, and short stories. His work, Balthazar’s Marvelous
Afternoon is a story that revolves around a carpenter who makes bird cages as a hobby. The
theme of the story is a concoction of conflict, humility, greed, generosity and pride.

Apart from this, this short story tends to highlight a few ideals of Marxism, a philosophy that
talks about how the relationships between capitalists and workers were inherently
exploitative and would inevitably create class conflict. However, the beauty is that it does so
without imposing or illuminating any political agenda.

Here’s how the story proceeds. Balthazar is a lower class, uneducated, 30-year old
carpenter who makes bird cages as a hobby. He lives with Ursula, his girlfriend, for the past
4 years and has no children. One day, he is requested by Mr. José Montiel, a rich man who
lives in the same town, to make a bird cage.

After spending two weeks creating the cage, he ends up making the most beautiful bird cage
in the world. It was publicly admired and received a lot of attention. His partner, Ursula, loved
the cage so much that she told him to sell the cage for fifty pesos, and then raised the price
to sixty.

Soon, the news about the bird cage spread rapidly. Dr. Octavio Giraldo, an old physician,
also got to know about it and decided to visit Balthazar’s place to look at the cage as his wife
loved birds. Upon reaching his place, he inspected the cage and found it extraordinarily
beautiful - much more than what he had ever dreamed of for his wife.

He offered to buy the cage, but Balthazar claimed that the cage has already been sold to Mr.
Montiel. The doctor insisted further and even presented the idea of making a different cage
for Montiel, however, Balthazar was firm on his take and said “I can’t sell you something
that’s sold already.”

When he got to know that Montiel apparently bought the cage for sixty pesos, he gave one
last look at the cage and proceeded to leave. “Montiel is very rich”, said Giraldo as he left
Balthazar’s place. Indeed, Montiel was a rich man, but not as wealthy as he seemed.

When Balthazar reached Montiel’s house with the bird cage, it was revealed that it was
Pepe, the 12-year old son of Mr. José Montiel, who ordered the cage without his parents’
approval. Montiel got aggressive and refused to pay for the cage. Seeing this, Pepe threw a
fit.

After looking at the little boy’s agony, Balthazar offered to give the bird cage for free.
However, Montiel did not like the idea of it and said “the last thing we need is for somebody
to give orders in my house. Son of a bitch!”

He didn’t look back and left Montiel’s house without taking the cage back. The gathered
people outside asked him how much he sold it for. He responded sixty pesos. They were
delighted to know that somebody could manage to get money out of Mr. Montiel.

They decided to go to the pool hall and Balthazar bought everyone drinks to celebrate his 60
pesos that he was never given. As it was his first time drinking, he eventually became
extraordinarily drunk. Moreover, he had to leave his watch in pawn as he spent so much and
had nothing to pay.

The next thing he knew was that he was left for dead in his own vomit, while his shoes were
being stolen. The women who passed on their way to the 5 o'clock Mass didn’t even care to
bother about him, thinking he was dead.

Characters:

1. Balthazar
Balthazar is a poor man who dislikes the way the rich live, particularly people like
José Montiel. This opposition is noticeable when he gives the cage to Pepe for
nothing, whereas José Montiel acts greedily by refusing to pay the cage’s sixty
pesos.

At the end, the Balthazar who walks into the pool hall is not the same Balthazar who
made the cage for Pepe. He allowed himself the opportunity to live like a rich man for
one afternoon and paid a heavy price with the realization that he might not be the
man he thinks he is.

Character overview: Skilled carpenter, hardworking, generous, conflicting.

2. José Montiel
Montiel was a rich man who lived in the town. He was a greedy and arrogant man
who refused to pay a poor carpenter the amount he was entitled to. Moreover, he
seemed to be an unloving parent who didn’t care about his child’s feelings or needs.

Character overview: Greedy, snobbish, heartless, indifferent, perhaps a

hypertension patient, miser, dominating

3. Dr. Octavio Giraldo

The doctor was an old man who cared for his invalid wife. As soon as he heard the
news about the beautiful cage, he instantly decided to visit Balthazar’s house and
 inspect the cage himself. The sole purpose behind this was that his wife loved birds
and she would love to have the cage.

When he went and saw the cage, he decided to buy it as it would have been the
perfect gift for his wife. He even insisted when he got to know that the cage has
already been sold. However, after seeing that Balthazar wouldn’t agree to selling it to
him, he respected his decision and left the place courteously.

Character overview: A loving and caring husband, compassionate, respectful, a

well-off doctor

4. Ursula
Ursula was Balthazar’s girlfriend who lived with him for 4 years. She was a caring
girlfriend who was always concerned about him. When he was occupied with the
cage work and didn’t shave for weeks, it bothered her. Moreover, she always wanted
Balthazar to be paid for what he is worth.

When she was informed that Balthazar is celebrating his pay by drinking, she didn’t
buy it as he had never been drunk before. This shows that she was very well aware
of him and his actions.

Character overview: Home-maker, caring, loving

5. Adelaide Montiel
Adelaide, Jose Montiel’s wife seemed more helpless than anything else. In fact, it
seemed as if she was more accustomed to listening to her husband than having
opinions of her own. Although she was perplexed after knowing that it was Pepe who
ordered for the cage, she wasn’t the one who refused from paying.

Moreover, when Montiel shouted at Pepe, she even tried to calm him down by
whispering his name, trying to make him aware of his actions and anger. At last,
when Pepe threw a fit, Adelaide held him by his wrist and pacified him while Montiel
stood unbothered.

Character overview: Home-maker, mother, helpless, submissive

6. The Invalid Wife

Not much was mentioned about the doctor’s wife. She liked birds and hated cats. If it
wasn’t for her, the doctor wouldn’t have paid a visit to Balthazar’s house to look at the
cage. Perhaps she’s a house-wife too.

Character overview: Fancies birds, dislikes cats, suffers from disability

It can be concluded that the three women in the story are dependent on their husband’s
behaviour and actions in some way or the other. Ursula waited for Balthazar to return in
order to eat dinner, Adelaide didn’t have the freedom to make decisions at her home, and
the invalid wife couldn’t do anything for herself and her love for birds.

They’re all portrayed as housewives who are soft, compassionate, and caring.

7. Pepe
Pepe is the child of Adelaide and Jose Montiel. He is a 12-year old boy who is scared
of his father. This fact is evident when the child is seen to lower his head and bite his
lip when questioned. Moreover, his needs seem to be unfulfilled, which makes him an
unhappy child. His outburst was no surprise as it was nothing but his pent-up
aggression and sadness that vented out in a go when he was refused to be given the
bird cage.

Character overview: 12-year old, scared, submissive, unhappy

Cage as a Symbol

The bird cage represents the oppression of the poor. In selling the cage, Balthazar is given
the illusion of freedom. Thus, he enjoys a marvelous afternoon living like a rich man.

Story’s Ending
The illusion of freedom makes Balthazar spend money like a rich man. Moreover, he saw
that all of this (getting money from the rich) had a certain importance for many people and
this made him excited. He told everyone that he sold the cage for 60 pesos and he decided
to buy drinks for everyone. As it was his first time drinking, he eventually became
extraordinarily drunk. Moreover, he had to leave his watch in pawn as he spent so much and
had nothing to pay. The next thing he knew was that he was left for dead in his own vomit,
while his shoes were being stolen. The women who passed on their way to the 5 o'clock
Mass didn’t even care to bother about him, thinking he was dead.