Love in the Time of Cholera Lesson Plan

Why does Florentino want to "enjoy his martyrdom" (62)? What does this mean and what does this tell us about him?

Florentino wants to "enjoy his martyrdom" because he is a hopeless romantic. This statement essentially means that he sees his waiting for letters from Fermina as akin to the suffering experienced by those suffering religious persecution, and that, like many saints, he wants to imbue that suffering with meaning that can only come from him not receiving what he actually wants. This tells us that he is more invested in the experience of longing than he is in the responsibility that comes from commitment.

Transito Ariza tells Florentino to take...