Narrative Techniques and Thematic Depth in Gabriel García Márquez's Novel

Narrative Perspectives and Structure

The narrator is multiple, and the events are reconstructed from several perspectives. Sometimes it is a secondary character, a friend of Santiago Nasar, who recounts the facts in the first person. At other times, it is a third-person narrator, writing a chronicle from collected information. Often, different characters give varying versions of the same event. We also witness the omniscience of some individuals who know the thoughts of others. The town itself, finally, also appears as a narrator of events.

Temporal Dynamics and Narrative Flow

The time in this novel is treated retrospectively. This is a fundamental feature of the novel that renewed the sixties and an original technique employed by García Márquez. When the narrative begins, the protagonist is already dead, and the novel concludes with his death. The time, therefore, is cyclical and decomposes into different moments. García Márquez goes back in time to explain what happened years earlier, but also considers the future of the characters who survived. The novel does not even last a full day: from the beginning of the marriage until the death of Santiago Nasar. The narrative is constructed through temporal breaks, which include both past memories and events of the characters that occur later.

Spatial Setting and Significance

As regards space, the action takes place in a Colombian town on the Caribbean coast, which can be identified with Aracataca, García Márquez's hometown. The external areas mentioned in the novel include:

• The port
• The plaza
• The streets

Of particular importance are some houses, such as Luisa Santiaga's house or Santiago Nasar's own residence. It is in these places where the primary action unfolds.

Language, Style, and Authorial Intent

In regard to language and style, a blend of journalistic realism and legendary elements, infused with the style of magical realism, can be seen. The prose is dense and poetic, incorporating metaphoric elements. However, alongside the poetic, we observe markedly violent and tragic passages, some even very unpleasant, such as the details of the protagonist's autopsy. There is also a mixture of linguistic registers:

• The slang used by the Vicario brothers, from a humble family.
• The religious language of the journalist.
• The language of aristocratic families.

The ironic treatment of the facts is another significant stylistic feature. In short, the book presents concise, clean, and clear sentences in the characters' dialogues and descriptions. This stylistic approach achieves the author's purpose: to give credibility to what is presented.