Selfish qualities in a person are usually looked down on in society because it is such a negative attribute. Being around a selfish person makes people feel unwanted or uncared for which is what makes selfishness a bad quality. The author uses this quality in his stories in order to show the state the villages were in before the outsiders came. When the outsiders first appeared in the story it was very clear that the villagers were selfish. They only cared about themselves and never thought of how the outsider should be treated. This shows the state of both villages and the positive impacts the outsiders had on them. Marquez's description and outward appearance of the outsiders in both The Handsomest Drowned Man and A Very Old Man with Enormous
