Society shapes who we are, our beliefs, morals, and way of living. The way we are raised impacts our outlook on life and how we live it. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the author of Chronicle of a Death Foretold, uses the way he has been raised to inform readers and give insight to the values and morals of the Colombian society. He also brings his sense of religion into his novels. Based off of the reading, one is made aware of the severity of honor in this society and the importance of religion. The reader can also see the many religious inferences throughout the book.
Both the severity of honor and the religious inferences give the reader a look into the Colombian society and its core values . Honor is an extremely large part of the Colombian society and Marques depicts its severity of all through out the novel. He does this by using Angela and the Vicario brothers. “The brothers were brought up to be men. The girls were brought up to be married. They knew how to do screen embroidery, sew by machine, weave bone lace, wash and iron, make artificial flowers and fancy candy, and write engagement announcements… my mother thought there were no better-reared daughters.
‘They’re perfect,’ she was frequently heard to say. ‘Any man will be happy with them (Marquez,31). In a Colombian society the virtue and purity of a woman is extremely important. “The activities of women were severely circumscribed because of the male concern with protecting the honor and virtue of the wife and unmarried daughters. Women in the upper and middle classes traditionally were not permitted to do work outside the home except for volunteer work.
The social life of women in the upper and middle classes, particularly of unmarried girls, was limited to the home, the school, the church, and well-chaperoned parties and dances” (Federal Research Division,Columbia 9). When it alleged that Angela has lost her virginity before marriage, she is beaten within an inch of her life by her mother. She looses her fiance Bayardo San Roman, because loosing one’s virginity before marriage is cultural taboo, not to mention completely unacceptable for a woman not to be a virgin on her wedding night.
Based off of this system of honor that is ingrained in society, Angela’s brothers are required to murder the one who allegedly took their sisters virginity, Santiago Nasar. They have to do this in order to “avenge” their sister and save the family name. “That’s not why”, said Clotilde Armenta. “It’s to spare those poor boys from the horrible duty that’s fallen on them. (Marquez 57). ” The code of Honor in Latin America was so strong that even a murder could be justified in its’ defense. “There’s no way out of this”, he told him. “It’s as if it had already happened. ” (Marquez 61).
The irony of the situation is, that the brothers do not even want to kill Santiago, but because of the rules of society, they are forced to . Because of the standards and conditions of the Latin Colombian society, they are forced to avenge their sister’s purity. An interesting point however, is that in order to re-gain honor for their sister and their families name, Pedro and Pablo are required to commit murder, which generally is not seen as an honorable act. Along with the severity of honor and purity, Gabriel Garcia Marquez brings a strong sense of religion into the novel.
This is due to his Roman Catholic background. Marquez, “although born to two parents,[was] left to be reared by his grandparents and three aunts [and was]… brought up culturally as a Roman Catholic” ( Meyer,1,2) Marquez makes his religious references in the form of the characters names and what they symbolize, as well as his portrayl of Santiago Nasar. Angela Vicario’s name translates into angel. Ironically enough, angels are supposed to be pure and holy, while Angela had allegedly been in a unholy and un-pure sexual relationship with Santiago Nasar.
The other young women in the book such as Divina Flor and Flora Miguel all have names that translate into beautiful flower or something along those means. Generally speaking flowers are seen as beautiful fragile frail living things that are to be treated with care. However, Angela’s craft, is making fake flowers, so while all the other young ladies are “actual flowers”, she is a fake one . She appears to be pure beautiful and holy, but on the inside she is corrupt. The final religious reference made by Marquez is found in the way he represents Santiago Nasar.
Marquez represents Nasar as a Jesus figure as he dies without just cause. There are references to Christ that are made through Santiago. On page five of the novel it explains how Santiago was wearing white clothes on the day he was destined to die, and Jesus was also wearing white clothes on the day he was going to die, “ Santiago put on a shirt and pants of white linen.. ” It is clear that throughout the novel Santiago is completely unaware of the fact that he is going to be murdered, and even while he is being murdered he does not know why.
He even says to his fiance Flora Miguel that he “.. doesn’t understand a damn thing. ” This let’s the reader know that Angela must have been lying about her “relationship” with Santiago . If he had really taken her virginity, he would know why the Vicario brothers were out to kill him, if honor and purity are so important to the society. Instead he died for no real cause just like Jesus Christ, there was no proof that Santiago and Angela had had any relationship , just as there was no proof to sentence Jesus to death.
Instead of dying for something that he did , Santiago dies for all the sins that everyone else committed, just like Christ. Santiago dies because of society’s hypocrisy, Angela’s lies, and the selfish nature of all those who knew of his impending death but did not warn him . Jesus took on the sins of human kind and decided to pay our debt. In both situations there really is no just cause for death. In conclusion based off of Chronicle of a Death Foretold , Marquez uses his background and his experiences to tell a story of the harsh realities of of the Colombian Latin society .
LEARNING TEAM SURVEY 2 Running Head: LEARNING TEAM SURVEY 1 Learning Team
LEARNING TEAM SURVEY 2
Running Head: LEARNING TEAM SURVEY 1
Learning Team Survey
Andie Heath
Andres Hernandez
Kimberly Brown
Laura Serna
Nicolas Godin
Shelly McKee
University of Phoenix
CJA/385
Kristine Gutierrez
Team D Survey Questions on Deterring Drunk Driving
Please provide your age.
I am 31 years old.
Please provide your gender.
Male.
Do you know your local policies and laws on drunk driving?
Yes. I am very conversant.
Do you believe there is a problem with drunk driving in your area/community?
Yes. The cases on alcohol impaired driving are quite common especially among the teenagers and college students.
Do you believe the current policies on drunk driving are working as intended?
I don’t believe existing policies are as effective as they should be. Legalizing a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or below is like suggesting that taking a little alcohol is appropriate for driving. This minimal allowance gives a leeway for even more drunk driving because people will hardly content with consumption of little alcohol when they find themselves at a restaurant or drinking joint that serves alcohol. I think zero-tolerance should be used instead.
Do you believe if a zero-tolerance policy on drunk driving is implemented it would deter drunk driving?
Yes. The implementation of laws that prohibit driving with any measurable amount of Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) can further boost existing laws that maintain a minimum allowable percentage of BAC for drivers.
Are you aware of any local programs within your community that provide training or education on preventing or deterring drunk driving?
Yes. There is a lobby group called Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) which spearheads strong campaigns against drunk driving. It consists mainly of mothers whose sons or daughters have been victims of drunk driving.
Are you aware of any education programs being taught in local schools that address drunk driving and the associated dangers?
No. As a teacher I have observed the curriculum and the course content that specifically covers the awareness on drunk driving is not comprehensively captured. Consequently, the emphasis on drunk driving and its effects has not been given adequate coverage within the school curriculum. There is an underlying assumption that this subject is covered in driving schools but I believe it should be also emphasized in schools.Nonetheless, teachers are alive to the fact that drunk driving has resulted to many road fatalities and they try to pass as much information as they can to students.
Do you think by creating and implementing better policies it will deter drunk driving?
Yes. Creation of effective and practical policies can help to control drunk driving.
Do you know anyone who has been a victim of drunk driving?
Yes. I had a neighbor who lost his son to drunk driving three years ago. The youngster was a sophomore college student and his life was cut short courtesy of driving under influence.
Is buzzed driving drunk driving?
The law not only stipulates that it is illegal to drive under the influence of blood alcohol content of 0.08% or more but also states that it is unlawful to drive under influence of any alcoholic beverage within the blood stream as this can also impair judgement of the driver. Therefore, as much as buzzed driving falls under the legal limit for driving, I think it’s a violation of the zero-tolerance policy and should lead to arrest.
Can a small amount of alcohol affect driving ability?
Yes. Most people believe that they are sober after having taken a small amount of alcohol but the underlying truth is that they are still under influence. It is always advisable to have a designated driver or hail a taxi in case of any alcohol intake to be safe.
Is a breathalyzer always accurate?
No. The breath tasting technology in breathalyzers is subject to various errors. That’s why it is not admissible in court as a source of evidence for DUI offences.Attorneys recommends blood tests as the most accurate test for blood alcohol content.
Do you think installing an ignition interlock device deters drunk driving?
Yes. However, there are cases of drivers who attempt to circumvent the IID using various techniques but it is still a good deterrent for drunk driving.
Do you have to be “drunk” to be guilty of drunk driving?
Yes. As long as the blood alcohol content is at 0.08% or above then a person is liable for a drunk driving offense.
Legally, what is “drunk driving?”
Drunk driving in the United States is defined as driving with blood alcohol content at 0.08 % or above. However, there are minor variations from state to state with some states having specific limits for drivers who are previous offenders as well as commercial drivers.
What amount of alcohol do I need to drink to have a blood alcohol content of .10 or higher?
A blood alcohol content of 0.1 implies that there is at least 0.1mg of alcohol for every 100ml of blood. However, you should also note that the alcohol content from drinking certain amounts of alcohol vary due to several factors but the main influencing factor is the weight of the alcohol consumer.
What is required for a police officer to stop me to investigate whether or not I am driving under the influence?
An officer can stop anyone deemed to have what is legally considered as “reasonable suspicion.” This can range from being involved in a minor accident, violation of a traffic requirement or even driving in a manner that is likely to suggest the driver is under influence.
What happens to me if I am pulled over by the police for investigation of drunk driving?
It is advisable to comply with the law enforcement officer and do whatever you are asked to do as long as it is within the legal provisions. If required to undertake a breathalyzer test you should also comply to avoid confrontation. However, if found culpable, you are to refrain from uttering statements that can be used against you in acourt of law. You can politely request to respond after consulting your attorney in such a situation.
How can we educate the public on the dangers of drunk driving?
The public can be educated on the risks associated with drunk driving through the use of multimedia channels such as sponsored adverts on cable television as well as social media channels which are widely accessible by people.
What are the penalties for getting caught while driving under the influence?
The penalties for drunk driving vary from state to state but they are very severe compared to other civil offenses. Typically, drunk driving in the US can attract penalties of up to 93 days of imprisonment, a fine of between $100 to $500 dollars as well as a maximum of 360 hours of community service or a license suspension of 180 days. These are basic penalties for first time offenders. However, repeat offenders can get up to $10,000 or 15 years of jail term depending on the gravity of the offenses caused due to drunk driving. An ignition interlock device may also be imposed.
Do you know all of your public transportation options in your city?
Yes.
What discounts can we offer for public transportation, Lyft, Uber and private taxi companies?
Discounts for public transport are only offered for people aged above 65 years, holders of Medicare cards, those living with disabilities and college students.
What weekends or times of the year are people most susceptible to drinking and partying?
Weekends especially on Fridays and Saturdays as well as public holidays and festive periods are the times when the highest incidences of drunk driving are recorded.
What is the purpose of drunk driving?
Most people engage in drunk driving
Is drunk driving more important than your life?
No. Life is far much more important than drunk driving. No reason can justify drunk driving over the value of life.
Do you know what a blood alcohol test is?
Yes.
References
Wechsler, H., Lee, J. E., Nelson, T. F., & Lee, H. (2003). Drinking and driving among college students: The influence of alcohol-control policies. American journal of preventive medicine, 25(3), 212-218.
Elder, R. W., Nichols, J. L., Shults, R. A., Sleet, D. A., Barrios, L. C., & Compton, R. (2005). Effectiveness of school-based programs for reducing drinking and driving and riding with drinking drivers: a systematic review. American journal of preventive medicine, 28(5), 288-304.