The Last Voyage of the Ghost Ship, Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Summary & Analysis

'The Last Voyage of the Ghost Ship' is a 1968 short story by the Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez. It exemplifies the use of magic realism, a characteristic feature of Márquez's fiction. Before delving into the analysis of the narrative, it is important to provide a brief summary of the plot. Plot Summary The story revolves around a young man who recalls an incident from his childhood. One night, when he was still a boy, he witnessed the appearance of a massive ocean liner near the coastal village where he resides in the Caribbean. The ship silently navigates towards the nearby bay, devoid of any lights. It becomes visible only when no external sources of light illuminate it, disappearing whenever the lighthouse beam shines upon it. The following morning, the boy questions whether he had dreamt the encounter. However, the next March, a year after the initial sighting, he witnesses the ship once again. Eager to share the experience with his mother, she dismisses it as h…