This chronic presented as a short essay by Gabriel Garcia Marquez made a mockery about Colombian perceptions and uses of the umbrella during the rainy season. While the author explains its multiple uses in his native country, such as a decorative artifact for gentlemen who carry it as part of themselves and even as one of their organs.
Humor in this essay is denoted by three things: the perception of the umbrella as the key to solve Colombia’s problems during the rainy seasons –problems such as: mud in the streets, colds, collapse in roads and railways, the exodus of the dispossessed because of winter and the destruction of crops and the fattening of the hoarders.- the magnification of the umbrella on high and middle class and how the umbrella has as many uses as possible except the one it’s meant to be and how ist name indicates in the Spanish language “paraguas” literally translated “for water” or its etymology: used it to avoid getting wet by water.
On the first instance the author remarks how the Colombian government at that time, blame the rainy season for all of the catastrophes mentioned before, But did not take responsibility for the country’s poor planning, lack of infrastructure and disaster prevention, the government would rather import unlimited quantities of umbrellas to solve the problem and blame the rain instead.
Secondly, its magnification by Colombian society on how useful it is not only for the rainy season but to make a person look fancy and decent. For instance the quote "It’s only natural: the umbrella is too fine, too delicate..." explains how families can live without proper health care or proper education laws, but not with an umbrella in their houses. And it is meant to be obvious since the umbrella makes the most slovenly man look like a gentleman. So that and quoting the author "It was made to be carried on the arm like an enormous ornamental bat..."
Last but not least, Garcia satirized how the umbrella is useless on real rainy seasons. The author compares how other inventions as windbreakers or the coat of gabardine, which in fact cover people successfully from raindrops, are put behind by Colombians. Due to this, the umbrella does not even honor its name, it is a useless artifact that was designed to make others look good and hide people not only from the rain but other life’s calamities.
If I'm not mistaken, it was Carla Mason (not sure tho)
