“The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” explores several complex themes, such as beauty, the relationship between imagination and reality, and community. García Márquez uses the third-person limited-omniscient point of view, which allows the narrator to access the perspectives of multiple villagers. However, the narrator’s perspective is limited and shares in the villagers’ wonder of who the drowned man was in life compared to who he is in death. If the story were truly omniscient, the narrator would have access to information surrounding the drowned man’s death and know his identity. Instead, the narrator only knows the man as Esteban because that is what the villagers name him.

García Márquez employs elements of magical realism to highlight the power of the imagination. The story takes place in a small seaside village. Nothing extraordinary happens, but the villagers ironically envision the drowned man as a fantastic being. He’s elevated to the level of something magnificent, and the narrative world universally accepts him as such. The villagers don’t question the significance they place on him. Instead, they idolize the drowned man despite knowing nothing about him.