What impacts and consequences does murder and death by natural circumstances have on those around it? Comparison of "Chronicle of a death foretold" and "Kitchen"

Essay by manutd4evaHigh School, 11th gradeC, June 2006

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Death of people around us is something that all of us will have to experience some point in their lives, both 'Kitchen' and 'Chronicle of a Death Foretold' looks into how death affects the characters in the story. Death is generally associated with negativity especially if it's to someone that is close to our heart. While many stories very obviously makes death seem 'positive' or 'negative' in both 'Kitchen' and 'Chronicle of a Death foretold' we are made to think about and decide for ourselves since there is both bad and good outcome.

Often death causes grief. Death is evident in 'Kitchen' right at the start of the story. This emotion is felt by Mikage when her grandmother dies. We are told that Mikage's grandmother is dead right at the start of 'Kitchen' "when my grandmother died the other day, I was taken by surprise" and the death had caused her to have many sleepless nights "After my grandmother died, I couldn't sleep".

As you can see she has suffered a deep mental anguish as she couldn't find peace after her grandmother's death, the death was especially painful for her because she was Mikage's only remaining close relative since her parents and grandfather both died when she was young.

Guilt is another impact of death that appears in both texts and has a profound impact on others around the deceased. When Yuichi calls and tells Mikage that Eriko is dead, you can tell that there is a strong feeling of guilt in Mikage's mind about not spending enough time with Eriko "When was it that Eriko and I last saw each other? Had we parted laughing? My head was spinning". Guilt is a very strong emotion and Mikage feels this because she...