My World Literature Paper (WLP), titled “Free Will: An exploration of the extent of independence in Gabriel García Márquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold” was submitted for the course “IB English A: Literature Higher Level (HL)”, for the partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of International Baccalaureate (IB) from the American School of Paris (ASP), Saint-Cloud, France.
I worked on this world literature paper project during my final year at ASP in 12th grade, guided by my English HL teacher, Mrs. Maryama Antoine.
Gabriel García Márquez explores the concept of freedom in the patriarchal society of the Spanish novella “Chronicle of a Death Foretold”. The characters’ ability to make independent decisions is put into question as they are constantly influenced by society’s mores and expectations. A more extensive analysis of the factors affecting their choices exposes a lack of free will, with the characters constantly living under the surveillance of their community. The pre-established ideals and traditions are an absolute creed that, if not adhered to, results in severe consequences for the characters who deviate from their fixed roles in society. The town’s traditionalist nature, codes of honor, and expectations constantly influence the decisions of all the characters in the novella, mainly by imposing social constraints. The tumult of these figures, society’s high emphasis on the concept of honor, and the overpowering force of cultural codes render the characters powerless as they are unable to act independently.
