No One Writes To The Colonel

What is the significance of the rooster in “No One Writes to the Colonel”?

Márquez is known for his use of magical realism. What effect does Márquez's use of traditional realism have on these stories? Why might he have chosen this approach?

Why does the colonel continue to wait for his pension?

Márquez does not explicitly situate the historical context for these stories.How does Márquez reveal the historical and political context to the reader? 

How are women characterized in these stories? Compare and contrast three of the stories' female characters.

Choose three stories and trace the theme of pride through each of them, comparing and contrasting. 

What role does Big Mama play in her family, in Macondo, and nationally? How has she secured and preserved these roles?

Why does Damaso decide to return the billiard balls?