Gabriel Garcia Marquez's The Most Handsomest Drowned Man

Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s stories revolve mainly around the morbid topic of death, with recurring themes of sickness and inevitable demise. Seen as one of the most significant writers of the twentieth century, his combination of the real and the extraordinary led to the development of magical realism. In this genre of writing, incredible elements of the story blend seamlessly with reality, told in such a matter-of-fact tone that it is able to suspend the disbelief of readers. Through Garcia Marquez’s characterization of Esteban, he supports the idea that human beings are able to find inspiration in the most unlikely places, and that inspiration brings them together while encouraging them to strive for perfection.

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The lives of those there are dull and colorless, and their surroundings demonstrate the emptiness in their lives. There are no flowers, instead there are wooden houses, stone courtyards, and worried mothers scrambling to keep the wind from carrying off their children (Garcia Marquez 233-238). When the villagers discover the drowned man, the women are completely blown away by his physical appearance. He was the “tallest, strongest, most virile and best built man they had ever seen” (Garcia Marquez 233-238). They immediately decide that his name should be Esteban, and proceed to take care of the dead man as if he was still alive. While fantasizing about what life must have been like for Esteban and the afflictions that were most likely brought on by his immense size, the women grow attached to him and, when the time comes to return him to the sea, weep intensely. After an extravagant and splendid funeral, in which everyone attended, the townspeople decide that a simple memorial service is not enough to keep Esteban’s memory alive. Encouraged by the drowned man’s visit, the people of the town transform themselves as well as their surroundings to

Davis support the idea that Esteban united the villagers he encountered in “The Most Handsomest Drowned Man In the World”. Davis proves that Esteban’s visit influenced the villagers to transform themselves and their environment. “Forced to see themselves and their world as they are, some natives seize the opportunity to change, so that their world begins to adjust itself to the heroic demands of the travelers from other realms” (Davis as qtd. in Wilson 79-93). Esteban, the epitome of human perfection, opens the eyes of those inhabiting the town and shows them just how bleak their lives are. Hoping to incorporate a part of Esteban inside themselves and those around them, the people begin to alter their environment in an attempt to honor their hero. Although he is dead, Esteban’s characterization is so potent and compelling that he almost comes alive to the villagers and paves the way for their self-improvement. Another literary critic, Rena Korb, takes this idea a step further by stating that, “by making their home a place good enough for Esteban, they are enriching themselves as well.” (Korb as qtd. in Wilson 79-93). Since Esteban is so deeply idolized by them, anything that is suitable to him is suitable to anyone. The astounding life found in such an absurd place, a dead man, brings the people of a coastal town together by displaying immeasurable beauty that forces them to expand their perception of reality and unite as one to improve