Explain why "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World" would be labeled as a story for children.

The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World
could be used as a story that can be told to children but, knowing Gabriel Garcia
Marquez's choices for intended audiences it is hardly true that children were his primary target
audience.

However, you can argue that the story possesses certain
characteristics that are quite unique and appeal to the primary traits of children: Naivete,
innocence, and the want to care for others.

The story also uses
literary techniques that are appealing to children because in the genre of magical realism (to
which this story belongs) there are situations that appeal to fantasy and the supernatural.
Marquez, however, has the unique magical touch of making these fantastic and supernatural thing
charming and told from a loving perspective that would also appeal to a younger audience and an
older audience alike.

Yet, for it to be labeled as a story for
children would be to reduce the theme of the story and all of the symbolism within it. I would,
instead, re-state how the story can be intended for a younger audience for its fairy-tale
consonance, for its indulgence in magical realism, and for the main idea which is that everyone
has a capacity to love and care for things, even when they did not think they would be prepared
to do so.