The Chronicle Death Foretold English Literature Essay

The Chronicle Death Foretold English Literature Essay I returned to this forgotten village, trying to put the broken mirror of memory back together from so many scattered shards, summarizes the narrators entire expedition to Sucre trying to unravel an unsolved mystery of the murder of Santiago Nasar. This essay will explore how memories serve as a tool in Chronicle of a Death Foretold. Memories seem to be the only source of information for the narrator and are frequently used by Marquez to bring to the reader the plot, albeit in a non-sequential order. Memories not only help in determining a characters perception of events but also create ambiguity. Marquez showcases some memories as contradicting and the others as vaguely similar to what actually happens in the lives of the characters twenty-seven years back. The writer creates a relation between the reader and narrator with the help of first-person narrative; this engages the reader more as he leaves them to decide whose memory should be trusted. One of many words that can be associated with this story is enigma, as a result of Marquezs non-linear narrative. Although the story begins with the revelation of specific memories of the murder such as the time, setting and the victim, the suspense lies in the context why the Vicario brothers kill Nasar. Marquez uses stereotypical techniques that accompany a mystery revealing conflicting memories of different characters at once: It wasnt raining, Pablo Vicario remembered. Just the opposite, Pedro recalled  [2]  . While Victoria Guzman was sure that it had not rained the entire month of February, some others claimed that the weather was funereal  [3]  and a thin drizzle  [4]  was falling. Thus, one cannot effectively visualize the setting of the day Nasar is murdered; these contradicting reminiscences of weather are perhaps intended to create uncertainty. The uncertainty in the recollections of weather not only forebode Santiago Nasars death, but also help the writer in using it as a tool to forebode other impending uncertainties, which are a result of ambiguous memories. This helps the writer in weaving an atmosphere of suspense. The memories of characters effectively bring out the dynamics of relationships in the plot. That the Columbian culture emphasized on strong filial bonds is clearly discerned in Placida Lineros memory of her son: The last image his mother had of him was that of his fleeting passage through the bedroomà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ as she would remember him forever  [5]  . Her memories reveal the strong tie between Santiago and herself, years after her sons death. Marquez also presents the flipside of filial bonds through Angelas recollection of her relationship with her mother. Angela only recollects the harsh incidents and the severity with which her mother dealt with her when she was returned by Bayardo San Roman for losing her virginity before marriage: The only thing I can remember is that she was holding me by the hair with one hand and beating me with the other with such rage that I thought she was going to kill me  [6]  . Purisima del Carmens vigilant disposition, made Angela subservi ent to her. This reflects on Angelas upbringing, a certain lack of trust, thereby, the dynamics of their relationship. Santiago Nasars character is established through the varied memories of him. The memories of minor characters also add to the multiple perspectives of Nasar and his murder. Flora Miguel said Here you are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦And I hope they kill you!  [7]  . But on the other hand Luisa Santiaga and Yamil Shaium try stopping the murder to save Nasar. With this in mind, he can also be claimed the protagonist of this chronicle, as all memories, either good or bad, are centered around him. The memories of individuals serve different purposes, than when used collectively to discover the truth. Separately, memories add a different angle to the recollection, by including each characters thoughts and feelings. There has never been a death more foretold  [8]  , the narrator remarks during his journey. It can also be inferred that the characters themselves did not remember the event chronologically but rather in bits and pieces. This also refers to the title, as per definition of a chronicle; it is not sequenced chronologically Jointly, memories help the writer to gather all the recollections to narrate an event that takes the reader back in time, to describe events during the wedding: I had a very confused memory of the festival before I decided to rescue it piece by piece from the memory of others  [9]  . Using memory as a motif, the writer also creates literary tension as he tries fitting all these pieces of memory together to present a sensible picture. Memories bring to life the rationale represented by Columbian culture in the eighteenth century. The writers use of memories draws a parallel between the social conventions of that period and those twenty-seven years later. Pablos wife claimed: I never would have married him if he hadnt done what a man should do  [10]  . The importance of family honor and machismo and the correlation between the two remains the same after twenty seven years. Memories therefore play mediator through different time periods by presenting the unchanged social constructs and norms. Using memories, the writer presents elements of magical realism through such instances as the dissection of Santiago Nasars body (It was as if we killed him all over again after he was dead  [11]  ) and the recollection of the priest (the dogs, aroused by the smell of death  [12]  ). These instances add to the uncertainty and create anticipation, as the suspense is revealed slowly. Later in the text, even with the description of Nasars body being cut open and stitched back together, the effect of using magical realism here is to show how Nasars reputation was questioned and how is identity was erased, after his murder. Memories are also used as a cathartic tool to purge the guilt associated with Santiago Nasars murder. The entire community is to blame for it and their memories either come across as excuses or remorse for not informing Santiago that he was in danger. (The) twins declared at the end of the trial that they would have done it again a thousand times over for the same reason  [13]  . This conveys how the brothers attempt to purge themselves of the guilt related with the murder, by convincing themselves more than the narrator or the reader that they are guiltless. We killed him openly, Pedro Vicario said, but were innocent.  [14]  They repeatedly try to justify their act, to escape the guilt and remorse associated with killing a man, whose culpability they are, perhaps, uncertain about. Marquezs portrayal of a mystery catches the attention of the readers instantly. The use of memories is prevalent in different forms and consistent through the entire mystery. Although the investigation has been carried out after so many years, it still gives rise to a few significant questions about. Thus, the reader may question the accuracy of these memories and whether they can actually be of any help in understanding the reasons for death of Santiago Nasar. The answer to this question could probably be traced through the authenticity or reliability of these memories, and the reconstruction of these broken pieces, that Marquez puts together for the reader, as a complete chronicle.

Charles Darwin’s Theory Essay

Charles Darwin contributed to the field of evolutionary biology were: non-constancy of species, branching evolution, occurrence of gradual change in species, and natural selection. Each of his contribution became the foundation of evolutionary biology and can be seen in the wild very commonly. Non-constancy can be observed though variation in the offspring. For example, different sized beaks in finches display variation in the species and therefore, non-constancy. This can cause change in the gene pool of a species over time. Many evidence of branching evolution can be seen in the anatomy of different species like homologies and vestigial structures. In whales, the hip bones are similar to humans which indicates the common ancestry between the two species. Gradual change is displayed by the fossil records of many species. Older fossil records have some small differences from the newer fossil records which can be used to prove gradual change in species over time. These changes occur due to mutation and are picked out by the natural selection. These mutations accumulate over time and cause the species to look drastically different after many decades. Natural Selection picks out individuals better suited for the environment and allows them to reproduce and pass on their gene while unsuited individuals die without passing on their gene. Natural selection occurs every time a predator feeds on the weakest, slowest, worst camaflouged, or most un-adapted prey. This allows the gene pool of the species to evolve and shed off undesired genes. Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium assumes that the allele frequency stays constant over time. The equation presumes there is no genetic flow, no mutation, no natural selection, random mating, and a large population. Hardy-Weinberg equation is used as a null hypothesis to determine if evolution is occurring in the species. Punctuated Equilibrium shows a sudden change in a species gene pool usually due to an environmental disaster after a long period of no change in the gene pool. This idea is demonstrated by the rise of mammals and the downfall of reptiles and other organisms. References: Campbell, Neil, and Reece, Jane. AP EDITION BIOLOGY. San Francisco: Pearson, 2005.

New World vs. Old Essay

Global Wine War 2009: New World versus Old 1. How were the French able to dominate the worldwide wine trade for centuries? What sources of competitive advantage did they develop to support their exports? The wine production of France goes all the way back to being part of the first niche market for premium wine. Factor conditions of France, such as land and climate, were well suited for wine-production compared to other European countries. Since the early 19th century cross-border shipping was very expensive, France was able to cluster the related and supporting industries of wine production within their domestic borders. As a result, France increased its competitive advantage throughout other sources without much impact from other countries. As the industry became France’s second largest export, side by side with a culture of rich food, the demand conditions got affected, as consumers were expecting a certain quality. The French government provided the classification systems, which increased the rivalry and domestic competitiveness and raised the entry barriers so that entry of foreign competition was kept at a minimum. 2. Given the longstanding dominance of Old World wine producers, how were the New World producers, such as the Australians, able to expand their market share so rapidly in the 1990s? As postwar increased demand for wine rapidly, factor conditions of the New World producers, such as widely available suitable land and it being less expensive, made it possible to meet the new demand and boosted the New World industry. The new demand conditions demanded higher quality wines and as new generations were born, the consumers got more price-conscious and convenient oriented. New World producers met these changes in demands by introducing a completely new firm strategy, structure, and rivalry compared to the Old World producers, who were constrained by tradition. Innovation was the key word in the New World strategy; suddenly, mechanical technology reduced labor cost and pushed down prices, packaging innovations made distribution easier and provided convenience to the consumers, and technology ensured vintage-to-vintage consistency etc. As well, branding and marketing skills were performed on the basis of vintage-to-vintage consistency, which gave the consumers further preferences and strengthened the position of the New World producers globally. This made them capable at expanding even more rapidly. The New World producers changed the traditional patterns of related and supporting industries, which used to being long value-chains, as the big producers now controlled the full value chain, able to extract margins and control quality at every level. The size now gave them bargaining power – a power, which made them have a strong grip on the importing countries. The New World producers had created a strong innovative company culture; a culture that could easily adapt to the changes of consumer culture and government regulations. New generations were born and so was the rise of fashion in a completely different culture of lighter consumption. The New World producers responded to the swings of fashion by taking advantage of the factor conditions: much capacity and regulatory freedom. This was the complete opposite to what the Old World producers were able to do – still constrained by the long history of wine-making tradition and lack of innovation. By that, the New World producers were always a few steps ahead of the Old World producers when the global patterns changed.

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