Why does José kill Carmen?
He cannot accept that love does not grant ownership. Carmen's refusal to leave with him or promise fidelity turns his possessiveness into the murder she has already predicted.
Does Carmen know what will happen?
Yes. Her divination and her reading of José's behavior convince her that death is near, but she still refuses to purchase safety by surrendering her freedom.
What does José do afterward?
He buries Carmen in a wooded place, places her ring with her, then rides to Córdoba and confesses to the authorities.
Why is there a fourth chapter after the tragedy?
The scholarly narrator returns to his project of explaining Romani people. The abrupt shift reinforces the frame while also exposing the text's urge to turn Carmen's culture into an object of classification.
Themes and What the Ending Means
Possession versus freedom: José treats love as a claim; Carmen repeatedly defines herself through refusal of that claim.
Confession and self-excuse: José admits his crimes while narrating them as consequences of Carmen's influence.
Fatalism and choice: Predictions of death coexist with a sequence of choices for which José remains responsible.
Outsider observation: The narrator's fascination produces useful framing details but also stereotyping and false authority.
Law and outlaw life: Military discipline, smuggling, robbery, and state execution form competing systems of violence.