In "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World," Garcia Marquez explores the influence of human imagination and its capacity to create explanations for the unknown.

1. Research La Violencia, the fifteen-year period of civil conflict in Colombia. How might "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World" be interpreted as a commentary on the events in Colombia during this time?

2. Investigate the following religious and mythological references in the story: St. Stephen, Estevanico, Jonah, Zeus, and Quetzalcoatl. How do these references enhance the story and its themes?

3. Read a chapter from Homer's Odyssey and identify similarities between Homer's narrative and the events in this story.

4. Study the psychology of totemism and analyze what Esteban has come to represent for the villagers.

5. Examine other forms of "fantastic" literature, such as fairy tales, science fiction, mythology, or folk legends. Select specific works from at least two different genres and compare and contrast their styles and techniques with those of "magic realism" as depicted in "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World."