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Essay / Poncio Vicario: a symbol of the harmful effects of honor
In the short story Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Márquez, honor is presented as a force that acts and influences the characters and the community to which they belong. Márquez explores the problem of perpetuating and participating in traditions by examining the duality of respect for honor. His critique of honor is well captured by the image of Poncio Vicario sitting on a stool in the middle of a wedding celebration. This image is a microcosm of Márquez's attitude toward honor as a driving force within Latin American society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essaySet in the middle of the narrative, the narrator describes old Poncio Vicario, a former goldsmith who has become blind after years of dedicated work. He sits on a stool amidst his daughter's wedding festivities. His family “put him there, perhaps thinking it was the seat of honor,” yet the guests trampled him. Poncio, in his blindness, cannot fully understand his position. He “nods his snow-white head in all directions” and “answers questions that are not addressed to him”, contenting himself “with his circle of oblivion…”. In this short passage, two key themes are discussed: the idea and pursuit of wealth and the idea of the “seat of honor” in correlation with conceptions of sight and blindness. The relationship between these themes and respect for honor will be explored in the following paragraphs. The pursuit and obsession with wealth is a common thread throughout Chronicle of a Death Foretold. Several characters express interest in the cost of events and items, or in acquiring wealth. The narrator is not divorced from this school of thought either, as he notes that Bayardo San Román "bought all the raffle tickets" to acquire an expensive music box for Angela Vicario. In this short story, there is a strong correlation between wealth and social status. For example, when Angela Vicario expresses her disinterest in marrying Bayardo San Román, those close to her refute this idea, saying that "a family worthy of modest means has no right to disdain the price of destiny." Here, the acquisition of wealth is presented as a means of improving one's social status. Although general character and adherence to societal values may be more important in terms of reputation, wealth is also a determinant of how a person is received by their community. Bayardo San Román is a perfect example. When he arrives in Sucre, the narrator's mother declares that “he is swimming in gold”. For this reason, Bayardo San Román is considered a charming individual, “capable of doing anything”. This positive community response to him is partly due to the wealth he possesses. The link between wealth and social status reflects a typically Latin American conception of honor. In general, Latin American societies are based on honor, meaning that honor is considered a core ideology. Individuals in "honor societies" place equal importance on their personal values and others' perceptions of themselves. Maintaining one's reputation is essential in "honor societies", which is why one may go to great lengths to protect one's reputation or that of those close to one. Thus, the character's obsession with accumulating wealth is directly linked to respect for honor. When Angela Vicario's family insists that she marry Bayardo San Román, their insistence is fueled by a desire to improve their social position, thereby strengthening their reputation and preserving their honor. According to this.