"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" and Prejudice

Gabriel Garcia Marquez's story, "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings," blends magical realism with a simple, straightforward style of writing. 

In the story, Marquez incorporates satire, irony, and humor, while also addressing serious and somewhat dark themes and topics. The author uses humor, magical realism, irony, satire, metaphor,...so many literary techniques to help him convey the story's central message or theme.

Elisenda and her husband Pelayo were looking at the old man with his enormous wings lying face down in the mud. A neighbor woman “who knew everything about life and death” says to them, “He’s an angel,” she told them. “He must have been coming for the child, but the poor fellow is so old that the rain knocked him down” (307). 

Garcia Marquez uses a satire to show human vices. The people are cruel to this angel because he does not fit with the picture that the villagers have of angels. They put him among the chickens. Garcia is showing how humans can be ignorant and mean to each other. They do not realize that this old man is a blessing because they are self-centered and close-minded. They failed to see the old man blessing because they do not see with their heart. 

Garcia’s satire helps him to convey a strong moral. The people with their limited knowledge, conventional wisdom, and superstitious beliefs can do a lot of harm in this world. 

In Garcia Marquez's story, "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings,"  the old man's appearance in the town reveals the character and motivations of the townspeople.

Pelaso held him captive and he watched over him with his bailiff’s club and then he locked him up with the hens in the wire chicken coop. The priest decides to write a letter to the bishop. Then the bishop will write to his primate and then the primate will write to the Pope. Elisenda decided to charge admission.

Garcia depicts the townspeople as close-minded and cruel. The old “angel” is not bringing bad things to the village and he is armed with a great patience but Pelayo and Elisenda show no respect to the old man. They treat him like an animal. The couple becomes rich but they do not show any kindness to the angel and they do not even thank him. Then, Elisenda shouts, “that it was awful living in that hell full of angels.” She associates the angel with hell.  

Garcia Marquez reveals a characteristic of human beings of discrimination. Angels who are old and speak and different language are disrespected and not accepted in the society. Even though this angel has performed some miracles, he is feared because he is different from the image of angels that the townspeople have. 

Garcia Marquez wanted to reveal the true nature of people through this satire: the lack of compassion for fellow humans and the inclination to exploit others for money. The townspeople are superficial, superstitious, and simple-minded and they are willing to manipulate the weak and the poor.

 The townspeople use stereotypes in other to understand someone who is different from them.

Well, unfortunately so many students do the same everyday!! Please, do not use stereotypes in order to judge your friends or other people.