The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World

The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World: Analysis of the Central Theme
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The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World: Analysis of the Central Theme
The term "grotesque" applies to a character that appears utterly unusual or bizarre due to the excessive expression of some of its traits. In this story, Marquez creates an unusual image of a drowned man by using intricate descriptive details to highlight the drowned man's excessively heroic and enigmatic personality; Marquez creates a true embodiment of a grotesque figure. The way the villagers give a highly imaginative response to this male figure makes it clear that this figure represents an ideal figure for villagers in their separate ways. Therefore, the human pursuit of an ideal life is the central theme of this short story, and the following paragraphs substantiate this fact.
The children's first imaginative response toward the drowned man's body comes from the children. While playing on the shore, children repeatedly make mistakes in understanding the true nature of this figure. Finally, the village children idealize the body as a perfect plaything they always hanker after. The way children engage themselves in burying and digging up in the sand reflects their fascination with the dead body and strengthens his idealistic character (Marquez, 1972). Moreover, village men's curiosity about this man's whereabouts and identity reveals an essential aspect of human nature. Although the man always seeks an ideal life, he can barely identify it and grab it when such life knocks at his door. When the village men enthusiastically seek the drowned man's identity, utterly oblivious of the fact that he is the physical embodiment of their innermost desires and dreams.
The villagers' dull life is cha...