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Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of the story “Chronicles of a death foretold” by Grabriel Marquez explains

the conduct of the Vicario twins on the day they killed Santiago Nasar. When describing

them, Clotride Armenta says, “They looked like two children.” (32) This statement may

mean that they looked innocent and harmless just like children, but it is also frightening,

as Clotride thought that only children are capable of everything. The description fits the

Vicario twins so well as they conducted themselves like children, telling anyone who was

willing to listen that they intended on killing Santiago Nasar. Most of the people who

heard their remarks thought that they were joking as they had known them as being well-

behaved since they were young, and that is why they did not take them seriously. In fact,

Pedro and Pablo Vicario were children who felt obliged to take on a big responsibility of

restoring their sister’s honor. Just like children, they publicly displayed their intentions,

looking for someone to stop them, but no one gave their words much thought. The only

person who made a feeble attempt to stop them was Colonel Lozaro, who took the knives

away from them and asked them to go to sleep. Father Amador received the message

regarding the intentions to kill, but his mind was focused on the Bishop’s arrival. The

only person who expected the twins to commit murder was their mother, who told them

that honor does not wait for any man. She pushed them towards danger, aware that the

outcome of the murder would not be pleasant. After a close analysis of Chapter 3, it is

evident that the twins were failed by the people they expected to show them the way.

While it is true that Santiago was a victim of the twins’ anger, the twins were also victims

of circumstance. They were born into a family that valued honor more than the life of a

man. The society, the law officials, and the religious organization watched as the twins

ended the life of a human being