The Incredible and Sad Tale of Innocent Eréndira and Her Heartless Grandmother

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name = The Incredible and Sad Tale of Innocent Eréndira and her Heartless Grandmother
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author = Gabriel García Márquez
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country = Colombia
language = Spanish
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release_date = 1978
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"The Incredible and Sad Tale of Innocent Eréndira and her Heartless Grandmother" ("La increíble y triste historia de la cándida Eréndira y de su abuela desalmada") is a 1978 novella (perhaps better, long short story) by Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez.

Plot summary

A 14 year old girl (Eréndira) is living with her grandmother when she accidentally sets fire to their home. The grandmother forces Eréndira to repay the debt by becoming a prostitute as they travel a road as vagrants. Men line up to enjoy Eréndira's services and eventually after several years, Ulises, one of her clients, falls in love with her. She returns his affection and eventually he becomes willing to help her to freedom; he formulates a plan to escape with her and live off a fortune from oranges which contain diamonds smuggled by his Dutch father. The only obstacle lies in her grandmother, whom Eréndira convinces Ulises to kill. Not being the homicidal type, he attempts poisoning and an explosive, but must eventually resort to stabbing her while she sleeps. After he regains his composure following the murder, Eréndira runs off into the night alone leaving him in the tent with the grandmother.

Eréndira and her grandmother make an appearance in "One Hundred Years of Solitude", another book by García Márquez.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

The novel was adapted to the 1983 art film "Eréndira", directed by Ruy Guerra. Irene Papas acted as the Grandmother and Claudia Ohana as Erendira.

External links

* [http://www.newyorker.com/printables/critics/051107crbo_books1 Book review in "The New Yorker"]
*imdb title|id=0085501|title=Eréndira