Machismo reflection

Machismo reflection

  • Submitted By: Jhess
  • Date Submitted: 09/15/2015 6:03 PM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 361
  • Page: 2

Chronicles of a Death Foretold, by Gabriel García Márquez, shows the cultural expectations of men in 1950’s Latin American culture. The definition of Machismo describes it as a sense of strong masculine pride. Men in Columbian society uphold this definition by showing dominance over women and each other. Márquez juxtaposes the machismo culture with the catholic religion of the Colombians. Many Machismo expectations stray from catholic beliefs; however, men must follow both practices.
After Bayardo San Ramon discovers Angela’s dishonor on their wedding night, he returns Angela to her mother. This presentation describes how Angela’s twin brothers, Pedro and Pablo, find Angela beaten and dishonored and than seek vengeance on the man who took her virginity. This example shows how the Machismo culture enforces men to uphold the good name and honor of his family. Upholding a code of honor correlates with the duties of a machismo man. When a member of the family receives dishonor, the machismo man must perform an “honor killing”, whether it be the dishonored women or the man who dishonored her who receives the punishment. Another example from this presentation of the Machismo culture appears when Marquez explains how Santiago sleeps with a gun under his pillow in order to protect himself and his family. The machismo culture expects men to be aggressive, protective, and provide for his family. In contrast, machismo culture and many other cultures expect women to be faithful until marriage, innocent, and domestic. Machismo men take pride in engaging in sexual relations with multiple women, often in brothels, while women receive shame and dishonor for sexual activity before marriage.
In this presentation, I learned that in Middle Eastern and some Asian cultures honor killings are still prevalent and expected to uphold a family’s status and honor. I also understand that elements of Machismo culture still stand in modern day society. The...

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