Pedro+Vicario

Character's Name
Pedro Vicario

Role in Novel
Pedro and his twin brother Pablo are directly responsible for the death of Santiago Nasar. Though Pedro is the younger twin, he was the more authoritarian of the two. His service in the military at a young age had matured his tendency to command and he developed the habit of deciding for his brother. Pedro demanded the name of the man who had deflowered his sister and, according to his own declaration, was the one who made the decision to kill Santiago Nasar. Having been brought up to be a man, Pedro accepted the duty of restoring his sister's honor. However, according to Clotilde Armante, the brothers were not as eager to carry out the sentence as to find someone who would do them the favor of stopping them, as they had gone around town declaring their plans to anyone and everyone that would listen. When the mayor confiscated their weapons. Pedro considered his duty to have been fulfilled. Thereafter Pablo assumed command and procured new weapons. The brothers never mentioned their disagreement to the investigator. They killed the man who had taken their sister's virginity and honor, alternating turns as they knifed Santiago Nasar to the door of his own home. Pedro never once showed an ounce of remorse for his actions. After his incarceration, Pedro reenlisted in the armed forces and became a sergeant. One fine morning, he disappeared into guerrilla territory and was never heard of again.

Significance of Name
-Pedro- Spanish and Portuguese form of PETER, which is derived from the Greek word for "stone" Peter: name given to the apostle Simon by Jesus. Peter was the most prominent of the apostles during Jesus's ministry. -Vicario- Italian and Spanish: status name for an official who carried out duties on behalf of an absentee office-holder or who deputized for a magistrate. In ecclesiastical usage, the word became specialized to denote a priest who carried out duties in a parish on behalf of a bishop.

Pedro Vicario, as his name implies, has a firm and authoritarian personality. Although he is the younger of the two brothers, he takes on the role of leadership and often makes decision on his brother's behalf. Like the biblical Peter, Pedro is bold and courageous, but also has a big heart. One of Peter's most prominent characteristics is his impetuosity. Similarly, Pedro acts upon impulse and leaps into action when shame was brought upon the family name, demanding the name of his sister's perpetrator. True to his name, Pedro stands fast -- like a rock -- in his ideals, never once apologizing for doing what he believed to be right. The connotations of his last name also reflect the motive behind his actions. The murder, although ironically sinful, was carried out to redeem his sister's honor. Seeing as his father is in poor health, Pedro assumes his position as head of the household and defends the family name -- just as a priest would carry out duties on behalf of a bishop.