Chronicle of a Death Foretold Chapter 5 Summary

  • For years after Santiago's death, nobody could stop talking about it. Many people just couldn't deal with the guilt. Some people died from the guilt or went insane, like Don Rogelio de la Flor.
  • When an investigative magistrate is sent to the town, he's overwhelmed with the number of people who want to testify about their part in the murder.
  • There is a trial and it only lasts three days, but the biggest mystery is how Santiago got involved in this whole affair. No one believes that he and Angela had a relationship, and his behavior would have been a little too relaxed for a guy he knew he was about to be murdered. So was he innocent? No one knows.
  • We do know that the people in this town are kind of weird. Everyone knows what's up. Everyone. But no one does anything. Of course, you knew that already.
  • Santiago's friend, Cristo Bedoya, tried to go to his house and warn him. Even though he runs into Santiago's mom, he doesn't tell her anything, grabs an unloaded gun, and runs after Santiago. On the way there he passes the Colonel Aponte, who is so stupid that he couldn't have imagined that people who slaughter pigs for living might have more than one set of knives.
  • While Cristo is out running, Santiago heads back home, changes, and goes to see his fiancée. The problem is that she had already heard about the alleged affair between Santiago and Angela. Instead of being worried that he would be killed, Flora Miguel is humiliated.
  • When she sees Santiago, she starts insulting him and throws out all of his love letters. That's when her dad starts talking about the plot to murder him, and Santiago had absolutely no idea what he's talking about. As you can imagine, he flips his lid.
  • The next part starts to get absolutely ridiculous. Everyone in town knows that the Vicario brothers are plotting to kill Santiago, but instead of doing anything to stop them, they're standing in the square like they're watching the parade.
  • Santiago is so confused that he can't even find his way home. But when he finally sees the front door open, he walks towards it. Which is unfortunately also where his murderers are waiting for him.
  • Now everything that can go wrong, does. Santiago's own mom locks him out of the house because Divina Flor tells her he's already home. The brothers start to slaughter him, stabbing away for what feels like forever.
  • It's all over when Pablo spills Santiago's guts. Literally. Somehow, even though his guts are hanging out, Santiago manages to walk over 100 yards into his next-door neighbor's house.
  • As you can imagine, his neighbors are freaking out. Finally, after cleaning the dirt off of his intestines, he heads back home and falls flat on his face in the kitchen.
  • But you knew that, right?