Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Extra Credit Blog)

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Young Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Gabriel Garcia Marquez was born on March 6th in 1927 in Aracataca, Colombia. His parents were Gabriel Eligio Garcia and Luisa Santiaga Marquez. At a young age both of his parents moved to Barranquilla and he was left to be raised by his maternal grandparents: Tranquilina Iguaran and Nicolas Ricardo Marquez Mejia whom Gabriel called "Papalelo". Gabriel's political stance and perception was ultimately shaped by Papalelo whom was also a Colonel and a Liberal. Gabriel earned a nickname throughout Latin America, which is "Gabo". In 1958 he married his love, Mercede Barcha and in 1959 they had their first son: Rodrigo Garcia and later came Gonzalo. 

Today, Gabriel Garcia Marquez is known for having been a prominent novelist, journalist and screenwriter. He is commemorated or extolled as having been one of the greatest and best-known authors of the twentieth century. While Gabo was at the National University of Colombia he began to gain interest in journalism. He even had a job as a writer for "El Universal" in Cartagena. In 1950 he began to write for "El Heraldo" in Baranquilla. It was a local paper. He ultimately became a member of the jounalist group known as the Barranquilla Group. Around the mid 1950s Garcia Marquez became a film critic for "El Espectador" in Bogota which is when he initally began to gain interest in film. 

A series of fourteen news articles were Gabriel Garcia Marquez's last written editorial for "El Espectador". He revealed an unknown story about a Colombian Navy vessel's shipwreck. His publication resulted in a great public controversy. He gathered and revealed interviews with a survivor of the wreck. His editorial revealed the truth behind the shipwreck which had been previously claimed to have been caused by a bad storm. Due to the great controversy, El Espectador decided to send Garcia Marquez to work in Europe. Unfortunately, Gabriel died in Mexico City on April 17th this year (at age 87).

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