Blog #2 Taylor Sjoberg

This week we read the story "The handsomest Drowned Man in the World" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. This story was very different but after reading a few times and discussing in class it almost seems to fit in with religion and this time of year when we celebrate Easter. When reading stories I don't understand I try to visualize it in my head as I go. Reading along and picturing what was going on was truly a sight. This man that had washed up on shore was first mistaken as a ship, then a whale, and finally the biggest man that they had ever seen. It was kind of weird how the children were playing and burying the dead man in the sand all day so it almost seemed to me that they had no idea what to do. Almost like they've never seen a dead person before. Well needless to say during the story they said they don't have many deaths there in the village so it made sense that they were unaware of what to do. The village women seemed to love the dead man. He was so handsome and big and they talked constantly about the things that he could do for them that their husbands right now could not such as planting on the side of the mountain. They named this dead man Esteban which is said to mean hardworking, big hearted, talented, handsome and very intelligent. Almost as if this man is this villages prophecy that has finally come because they praise him, cloth him and treat him with royalty. Both stories that we have read thus far have been very interesting because when you read them the first time you have so many questions but as you read it over and over and have the class discussion you slowly realize and comprehend the whole thing quick and a lot of other ideas open up.