Maria Alejandrina Cerventes is a whore, a prostitute. When one thinks of a prostitute many negative connotations come to mind. However Gabriel Garcia Marquez presents this whore as a respectable elegant woman His description of her persona and the brothel where she works do not condemn either her nor or profession. This comes as a surprise to the reader given how strictly Catholic Latin American society seems to sensor women’s sexuality. For some reason it is utterly shameful to lose your virginity before marriage, but being a prostitute is not considered to be dirty or dishonourable. Marquez describes Cerventes’ whorehouse as being decorated with glowing lanterns and musicians playing in the courtyard. He creates an atmosphere of a peaceful…show more content… Conversely, Catholicism prioritized chastity and purity. During Spanish colonization these foreign ideas penetrated local traditions and were forced upon the indigenous populations. Nevertheless, past ideals concerning sexuality could not be completely supressed and the Catholic Church of Latin America adopted a mixed interpretation of the laws governing sexuality. Although virginity was still very much a prized possession of unmarried females, the rules governing prostitution made up for the strictness of them. Church authorities in South America and in other regions largely accepted prostitution as a necessary evil. Although it was still frowned upon, it was not criminalized. The Catholic Church was especially tolerant of prostitution. Prostitution was further glorified by Marquez because of his personal experiences. It is rumoured that Gabriel Garcia MArquex was a frequent client at brothels and was very sympathetic and understanding of prostitutes. He expresses these feelings in Chronicle of a Death Foretold through the characterization of Maria Alejandrina Cervantes. Prostitutes are almost portrayed as members of the upper…show more content… Her name bears a large significance to her character. To begin her first name, Maria, is the Spanish form of Mary, derived from the Virgin Mary. At first thought, this is quite ironic considering her chosen profession as a prostitute, and the Virgin Mary being the ultimate symbol of a virgin. Another biblical Mary was Mary Magdalene, a prostitute who became one of Jesus’ devout followers. Furthermore, there is evidence that suggests she may also have been Jesus’ illicit lover. This claim relates Maria’s relation with Santiago, who is a symbol for Jesus. Santiago’s obsession with Maria was “a mad passion, his mistress of tears since, the age of 15.” They of great amounts of mutual respect, she would not go to bed with anyone if he was present. She was a mentor figure, ‘it was she who did away with my generation’s virginity.” “She taught us all that there is no place sadder in life than an empty bed…” To discuss her second name, there are a few possible meanings of Alejandrina. Firstly, Alejandria is a Christian Saint, man’s defender. Her occupation might contradict the title of a saint; however Mary Magdalene is recognized as a Saint by the Catholic Church. Alejandrina could also be derived from the city of Alexandria, the heart of knowledge and learning in Egypt. Her role as a mentor and teacher supports this claim. Lastly, Cerventes is Spanish for followers of a prophet, in