The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World

Using textual support, identify three literary devices and explore how García Márquez’s use of figurative language shapes the narrative.

“The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” alludes to several mythologized figures: Estevanico, Lautaro, and Quetzalcoatl. Conduct research on one of these corresponding myths and write an essay comparing the drowned man to the mythological figure you’ve chosen. How are they similar? How do they differ? Did your research change your understanding of the text?

Magical realism is a literary genre that blends ordinary life with elements of the mystical or fantastic. What elements make “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” a work of magical realism? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

Consider the following quote: “Not only was he the tallest, strongest, most virile, and best built man they had ever seen, but even though they were looking at him there was no room for him in their imagination” (Paragraph 4). Identify at least two literary devices used within this quote and discuss the ways in which it frames the rest of the narrative.

Consider the myths behind the names Esteban and Lautaro. Based on your knowledge of the drowned man, which name do you believe would have been more fitting for him? Use evidence from both the myth and the text to help support your argument.

“The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” is narrated from the third-person limited-omniscient point of view. Discuss the ways in which García Márquez uses point of view to support the story’s thematic messages. Consider how the story would be different if it were told from another perspective.

The village men and women described in the story have different reactions to seeing the drowned man and imagine conflicting versions of who he could have been. Discuss the ways in which García Márquez either reinforces or subverts traditional gender roles amongst the villagers through their reactions to and depictions of the drowned man. Use evidence from the text to support your argument.

Choose one of the symbols or motifs found in the story and discuss its impact on the overall message of the narrative. How would the story have changed if this symbol or motif had not been included?