The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World Essay - 1207 Words

Life, a series of transformations. Each small shift building off of one another, perpetually propelling the cyclical existence that is nature. Some manifest as small changes, summer to fall, ice to water; others a grand metamorphosis. Humans the center of this cycle, find themselves changing every day, biologically, developmentally, ideologically, etcetera. Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s â€Å"The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World,† and Carson McCuller’s â€Å"Sucker† are both excellent examples of short stories that, despite having undeniably different plots, feature the overarching theme of transformation: the propellant through life. Transitions come in many forms, physical evolutions being the most obvious. Both authors handle this element towards†¦show more content†¦It is seen in Marquez’s literately work when the preparations are made for the Drowned mans funeral. Villagers care for this drowned man like no other, orchestrating a grandio se funeral bringing people from neighboring villages, and decorating him with charms and tailored clothing. They select people to act as his family in the funeral and then they release the Drowned man back into the water, â€Å"without an anchor so that he could come back if he wished and whenever he wished† (Marquez). This all ostensibly unusual for a funeral in this area, especially for the funeral of a drowned stranger. Villagers great this â€Å"filthy piece of cold meat† with a warmth greater than that for a fallen kinsman. Change in actions is also evident in McCuller’s text when discussing the changes seen in sucker after Pete yells at him. Sucker begins spending time with friends, inviting people over to the house, taking up more of the bed, acting tough, and avoiding conversation with Pete who says â€Å"I don t even want to call him sucker anymoreâ€Å" (McCuller). Sucker’s actions have become apparently contradictory to the past, to the point where Pete doesn t even find it appropriate to use his previous name. Then similar to Garcia’s story, the change in practice is emblematic of other change found around the story, specifically more rooted mental change. Transformation of the psyche, whether entirely or compartmentally, wouldShow MoreRelatedMagical Realism in the Handsomest Drowned Man in the World Essay1096 Words   |  5 PagesMagical Realism in The handsomest drowned man in the world Magical realism is a genre that portrays both reality and fantasy. As defined by Faris (2004) in Ordinary enchantments, magical realism is a genre of writing that includes an irreducible element of magic and details that suggest phenomenon (Faris, 2004, p. 7). 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