“They thought that he would have had so much authority that he could have drawn fish out of the sea simply by calling their names and that he would have put so much work into his land that springs would have burst forth from among the rocks so that he would have been able to plant flowers on the cliffs” (MÁRQUEZ).
In “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World,” the quote captures the profound transformation that occurs within the small coastal village upon discovering the handsome drowned man. Initially, the villagers perceive themselves as ordinary and their village as insignificant. However, the arrival of the stranger stirs their collective imagination. They begin to envision the drowned man as a figure of unparalleled authority, believing he could draw fish from the sea with a mere call and make their land flourish with lush springs and flowers.
This perception inspires the villagers to undertake an extraordinary collective effort to honor the stranger in death. They treat him as a beloved, legendary figure, constructing grand plans for his funeral and even changing the layout of their homes to accommodate his imagined stature. The quote embodies the central theme of transformation, illustrating how the stranger’s mere presence leads the villagers to reimagine themselves and their village as something extraordinary, ultimately highlighting the power of storytelling and the impact of the extraordinary on the ordinary.
One thought on “Ahmad Deedat Discussion 5”
This is a misreading of the prompt. You were supposed to address one of the quotes about literature on which your essay will be based.