Name: Shaan Merchant

Date: 4/27/22
Period: 2nd

No One Writes to the Colonel

by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

1. As we read the novella, No One Writes to the Colonel, take notes on similarities/parallels with
Chronicle of a Death Foretold (this could range from an event to a theme to a global issue, etc).
● Violence
● Death
● Honor
● Wealth distribution

2. How is the narrative style different between Chronicle (journalistic) and Colonel?
The style of a Colonel is easier to understand because it’s in third person, following the life of the
Colonel. Meanwhile, the third person in Chronicle takes a mystery route as it changes perspective
between characters.

3. In your opinion, what does the rooster symbolize?

I believe the rooster symbolizes the Colonel’s son, Agustin. Since Agustin died the rooster carries on his
legacy, thus making the colonel feel like he has a new partner to take care of. He latches on to the
rooster because he doesn’t want anything to happen to the rooster since it has a lot of value to him. He
doesn’t want to fail the rooster like he failed his son. The Colonel’s stubbornness to not bargain on the
price of the rooster, represents the value which his son held and how he was wasn’t willing to negotiate
his son's worth.

4. Is magical realism present in this novella (unreal/magical elements that are normalized)? If so, where?
There wasn’t magical realism present in Colonel

5. What global issues are presented in this novella? How are they presented?
● Poverty
● Life-changing decisions
● Economic inequality
● Marital love
● Death
6. Once we finish No One Writes to the Colonel, please read this short paper. Who is/are the exploited and
oppressed in this novella? In addition, who is/are the exploited and oppressed in Chronicle of a Death
Foretold?
The oppressed in No One Writes to the Colonel are the ones in poverty, the Colonel’s family specifically
because the Colonel never received his pension that was guaranteed as well as being forced to live in
poverty. The oppressed in Chronicle of a Death Foretold is Angela Vicario, and women as a whole,
because she was forced, knowing that she wasn’t a virgin, to marry Bayardo and be perfect.

7. Now that you have read both Chronicle of a Death Foretold and No One Writes to the Colonel, which
novella did you enjoy more? Why?
I enjoyed Chronicle of a Death Foretold more because the plot of the novella was more engaging then the
plot in No One Writes to the Colonel.