Chronicle of a Death Foretold

“I saw him in her memory.”

The narrator’s role is to collate the various perspectives on Santiago’s life and death and turn them into a cohesive chronicle, reflecting the novella’s interest in The Reconstruction of Memory. Since he knew Santiago well, each new perspective allows him to understand a different version of his friend. His subjective understanding of Santiago contrasts or complements another person’s subjective understanding of Santiago, allowing him to recognize both new and old versions of his friend in the memories of other people.

“Santiago Nasar knew it was true, but church pomp had an irresistible fascination for him.”

Santiago’s fascination with the pomp of the bishop’s arrival foreshadows the crowd that will gather to witness his death. He knows that the bishop will likely not get off the boat, but he wants to feel part of a community action by witnessing the bishop’s visit. The act of observation is an important way of documenting historical and social events such as the visit of the bishop or a murder. Santiago’s decision to be a part of this crowd suggests that he shares the same mindset as the people who gathered to watch his murder.