Who is Lincoln

In "Abraham Lincoln Has Been Shot," Alarcón seems to leave it deliberately ambiguous as to whether the character of Lincoln refers to the sixteenth American president. Lincoln, in the story, is the "first love" (38) of the narrator, Manuel. The story implies that this Lincoln became president and informs us that he was assassinated at Ford's Theatre. However, it is never confirmed that the character and the historical figure are one and the same, especially given the contemporary and borderline ahistorical temporal setting of the story. Thus, Lincoln's role in the story is a unique blend of character and legend.