One Of These Days

At less than 1,000 words, “One Of These Days” is sometimes considered a piece of flash fiction due to its brevity. How does Garcia Marquez make the historical and political subtext in the story clear despite not having the space to describe this history directly? Why do you think García Márquez chose to write the story this way?

Gabriel García Marquez’s neorealist novel In Evil Hour (also published in 1962) similarly contains a scene between a mayor with an infected tooth and a dentist. Read that episode in the novel and discuss the similarities and differences in the characterization of the Mayor and dentist in the novel versus the short story. In what ways does the characterization in both accounts affect how the characters’ actions are interpreted?

How does Aurelio’s son serve to enhance the story’s exploration of power, vulnerability, and retribution? What is the effect of his role as an intermediary between Aurelio and the Mayor in the story’s initial scene?

Aurelio chooses not to use anesthetic while extracting the Mayor’s tooth, and he explains this choice in a perfunctory way that makes little sense, but the Mayor accepts his explanation unquestioningly. What does this interaction reveal about both characters and about the power relations between them in this moment?

In a 1960 essay about depictions of contemporary political violence in fiction, García Márquez argues that novels are more effective if they depict the effects of the political violence on the living rather than the horrors of the violence itself. In what ways does the short story use dialogue and imagery to depict an atmosphere of societal violence?

Discuss the characterization of the Mayor in the story as an antagonist and symbol of political corruption. How does the author use imagery and dialogue to develop his character?

Neorealist literature and films attempt to depict scenes that are true to life, focusing on the lives of common people managing the challenges of their social circumstances. What literary elements does García Márquez use to present a realistic scene from one day in the life of Aurelio Escovar?

Why do you think the author chose the title “One Of These Days” for this short story? Does the title imply a resolution to the story’s conflict? Why or why not?