Stylistic Elements in "Strange Pilgrims" Essay

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Strange Pilgrims by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The use of the simile in "Strange Pilgrims"

Gabriel Garcia Marquez' use of similes in the "Strange Pilgrims" collection is intended to emphasize the surreal ideas that can be found throughout the stories. Marquez seemed determined to have his readers get a complex understanding of the concepts that he related to and thus used similes as a means to reach out to these respective people. The presence of this stylistic element in the collection of stories makes readers feel better-acquainted with emotions that characters experience.

From the very first story in the collection readers are presented with a series of similes that provide them with the ability to see things from the protagonist's perspective. This contributes to making them sympathize with him and with gaining a better understanding of his attitudes. It appears that Marquez used similes at this point with the intention of putting across what the President felt rather than what the narrator felt. While seeing a flower vendor on the pier, the central character considers his first visit to Geneva. "On his first visit to Geneva the lake had been calm and clear, and there were tame gulls that would eat out of one's hand, and women for hire who seemed like six-in-the-afternoon phantoms with organdy ruffles and silk parasols." (Marquez 3)

The simile plays an important role in captivating readers as each of the storylines progresses. The "Seventeen Poisoned Englishmen" story contributes to the feelings of abstractness and shock that Marques bring on in his stories. The protagonist in the story attempts to get actively involved in a journey that would normally be meant to enrich her spiritual understanding of the world and that would enable her to see matters from a more religiously subjective perspective.

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However, she discovers that a trip to Europe only provides her with a bleak image of the social order.

In spite of the fact that she has the chance to eat woodland birds appears to be an impressive concept in the circumstances that she finds herself. Furthermore, a priest attempts to have her understand that she should really be thankful for such a meal, considering the rather critical conditions in the Europe as a result of the war. However, she is shocked with the idea of having to eat the birds and acknowledges the strangeness that she feels as a consequence of being in such a position. "For me," she said, "it would be like eating one of my children." (Marquez 127) This simile presents a more specific image of the woman's thinking -- she considers these people and their habits surprising. It is likely that the fact that these were songbirds influenced her to take on a somewhat supporting attitude with regard to their existence. She felt that eating them would be similar to denying their beauty and their role in the natural world. Such an event would virtually turn her into a person who was unable to spiritually connect with the world. Marquez probably wanted to have the old woman look like an individual who wanted to abandon materialism and to simply appreciate the world without going against some of its most important values -- even with the fact that the….....

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