Introduction to Magical Realism in “The Handsomest Drowned…”
Gabriel Garcia Marquez presented fantasy world in his stories that is unbelievably believable such as magical realism in “The Handsomest Drowned…”. One of them involves an old man having enormous wings. Both stories seem to have events taken out of ordinary life but amalgamated with inexplicable and minute details not found in ordinary life. Just, for example, there is no such thing as a flying man nor is there such a huge person as Esteban, named by the villagers. However, such creatures have been thrown in the midst of the public just to evaluate the reaction of the general populace and see how this reaction destroys or improves their lives.
Handsomeness and Magical Realism in “The Handsomest Drowned…”
In the story “The Handsomest Man in the World”, a huge dead body appears on the shore where the children first see and gather around it. It becomes known later when the people take him to the village that not only he is extraordinarily huge, but also that there is nothing to place him such as a bad or anything else. Therefore, the villagers think that “maybe the ability to keep on growing after death was part of the nature of certain drowned men” which is not based on reality (Marquez 253). It is because there is no scientific reason behind this proposition. This amalgamation of unexpected, mysterious, and unbelievable phenomena into ordinary realities is one of the major features of magical realism in “The Handsomest Drowned…” propagated by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Credulity and Magical Realism in “The Handsomest Drowned…”
In fact, this story has a very strong and almost believable story but still has some magical qualities showing magical realism in “The Handsomest Drowned…” that start emerging from the narrative throughout until the story ends on a happy note. This story, like all other pieces demonstrating magical realism, has a very strong narrative to tell. The start starts with how the children find the dead body and discover that it is a huge one. However, when the women enter the scene, even the men change their thinking about the dead body. Not only does the dead man win proper respect but also “the most splendid funeral they could conceive for an abandoned drowned man” (253-254). Although described in mythical details, every act from the purchase of flowers by the women to spreading the news to nearby villages is done accordingly. The people are engaged in other activities such as reverence shown to the strange dead body and arrangement for the final departing scene.
Conclusion
The audience and readers know that he is only a dead man and it has almost never happened. However, Garica has taken him to a mythical proportion that the natives have never imagined. His one feature leads to another and then his image starts blowing out of proportion to a mythical level where he has really become a “larger than life figure” (253-254). Although this is not all, there are several elements that resemble folk tales and dreams. After combined with the realities of life and everyday activities, they form the mainstay of magical realism as shown in this story. The village becomes a desolate place when they send him on his final journey but then he becomes a part of their life as it becomes “Esteban’s village.” This is the magic of magical realism in “The Handsomest Drowned…” that Marqust has presented in a different style.
Works Cited
Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. “The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World.” Collected Stories (1984): 253-254.
Relevant Questions Magical Realism in “The Handsomest Drowned…” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
- How does Gabriel Garcia Marquez employ magical realism in “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World,” and what effects does this narrative technique have on the story’s themes and message?
- In “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World,” how does the use of magical realism enhance the reader’s understanding of the villagers’ reactions to the drowned man’s arrival and transformation, and how does it shape the story’s overall meaning?
- What are some key examples of magical realism in “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World,” and how do these instances blur the line between reality and fantasy while highlighting the story’s underlying commentary on human nature and community?