The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” is a short story by the renowned Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. The narrative revolves around a small fishing village that discovers the body of a massive, drowned man washed ashore. Initially, the villagers are curious about this stranger, but as they begin to clean and prepare his body for burial, they become increasingly enchanted by his unparalleled beauty and stature. They imagine a life for him, giving him the name “Esteban.” The women, particularly, are taken by Esteban, comparing their husbands and the men in their lives unfavorably to this idealized figure. As the story progresses, Esteban’s presence begins to transform the villagers’ perspectives on their own lives and the limitations of their small world. They dream of a grander existence, inspired by the drowned man. In the end, they give him a spectacular funeral and make changes to their village in honor of his memory. Through this tale, García Márquez beautifully examines the power of myth and the human tendency to elevate the unknown. I guess that the professor made this work our first assignment not because he wanted to convey that our world is full of unknown forces that we do not yet know.
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3 thoughts on “week 1 Yuki Ichiki”
Hello Yuki Ichiki, I agree with what you said about your thoughts on why the professor gave this short story as the first assignment of the class. I think the world has so many unexpected things. And it is on us to adapt, improve, or stay the same as before.
I agree with you about “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” is a short story by the renowned Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. This story shows how our imagination can change our lives. The professor probably assigned it to teach us about the power of imagination and how it can transform our world.
Yuki, you’ve given a very good plot overview here. But that is not what we are looking for in these discussion boards. This is a place to share interpretations, analysis, and personal response to the works. I say this to everyone in the group, not just to you. There is no reason to recount the plot because everyone in the class has read the story. I want to hear the unique insights of Yuki Ichiki (and everyone else).