Myth and the Human Condition

"The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World" illustrates the collective human tendency to create myths. The form of the story makes clear that the "long ago and far away" setting of the story takes precedence over a reading of the story that places the village in an exact location or time period. Myths often center around heroic figures whose special powers or deeds create an ideal that members of that society may attempt to live up to. Esteban becomes such an ideal for the villagers, who are so inspired by him that they plant beautiful gardens and improve their homes "so that Esteban's memory could go everywhere without bumping into beams." Thus, this once dirty and diminished drowned man inspires an entire village to strive for something better and more beautiful. Such myths last through time and across cultures, as demonstrated at the end...