Exploration of Deception

Nora the Manipulator

- "Nora: yes Torvald. I can't get anywhere without your help."
- " Nora: how pretty these flowers look! But, tell me, is it so dreadful, this thing that Krogstad's done?"
                                                            (Act 1, page 53)
This is a clear display of Ibsen's use of Nora's flirtation to display Nora's manipulative characteristics. At first, Nora drag's Torvald's mind by talking about her dress and how she does not know what dress to wear and then uses a mix of flirtation and flattery to soften him. By using the phrase" I can't get anywhere without your help" she picks on Torvald's masculinity and her knowledge of her husband as a prideful person makes it easy for her to shape his thoughts. Nora also knowing this further shows her manipulative character since it connotes that she has been analyzing her husband and his thought process to find efficient ways of conversing with him to get what she wants( i.e when she asks Torvald for money ). She even attempts to surprise her husband by drawing his attention to the Christmas tree before abruptly asking him about what Krogstad did. Torvald has been restricted about speaking of Krogstad and his employment  and the phrase" is it so dreadful" shows along with trying to connect to Torval.s emotions and to aggravate him so that he would slur out about what Krogstad did, she also hopes that the sudden flirtation and asking would dull his senses so that he would tell her.

Influence on Marquez's Work

The Catholic Church in South America :

Gabriel Garcia Marquez grew up as a Catholic but his beliefs developed into that of an atheist as time passed. There are clear religious connotations throughout his works but the Catholic influence dwells more deeply than just one individual's literary work.  The Catholic Church has deep roots in the societal workings of South American culture due to the invasion and ruling of the Spanish from the 1500s

.The Spanish introduced religion into the Colombian society through the establishment of Catholic institutions including dioceses of Cartagena and Santa Maria. After their independence from the Spanish, the Catholic religion still had a lasting effect on society. This lead to an overall protective and traditional way of life that is clearly depicted through works of literature that depict the era in Colombia.

 Currently, Colombian identity is certainly influenced by Catholicism. During the 19th century, the government protected Catholicism through the implementation of laws and giving the church certain privileges including giving them control over education. Even though the current role of the church in state has died down, the influence is apparent due to a conservative traditional lifestyle and the numerous cathedrals towering over houses in almost every village.