Human Reaction to The Unknown in "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings"

“A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” is a short story by the Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It is a teaching story about social values and human reaction to the unknown. The story takes place in a humble fishing village, where in the courtyard of Pelayo’s house, one of the main figures of the story, appears an old man with very large wings. Pelayo does not know what to do with him and calls his wife Elisenda. The first thing they do is look for answers to things beyond their understanding, and with Elisenda, they go to see a neighbor woman who they believe knows about all the good and bad things in life. Upon seeing the old man, she says that it is an angel because he has wings. The first thing that the characters do is judge by appearances, and when they see a man dressed in rags, they label him a phenomenon, because an angel would not dress like that. They are also caring for a newborn who is convalescing from illness and relate the old man to a death angel who came in search of the child. This belief is further fueled by the mud and rain of that day, an environment described by the author throughout the story (Garcia Marquez, 1972).

Human Response to the Mysterious in "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings"

The uncertainty and ignorance do not delay in appearing, and a series of helpless people come to Pelayo's house in search of miracles. When Pelayo and his wife see this, they decide to take advantage, and they begin to charge people to see the angel. This behavior only highlights human opportunism and a lack of compassion for the old man by the protagonists, his wife, and the others. Faith is used by the pilgrims in search of answers beyond themselves as a response to their misfortunes. As the days go by, the angel maintains a passive attitude, and the expected miracles are not received. People stop believing in him, and the interest in that creature disappears. Meanwhile, Pelayo and Elisenda improve their lives and the child's wellness, which in some way is related to the angel and the climate in the town. They adapt to the presence of the angel and show a little compassion. When the angel regains the well-being of its wings and some strength, he goes away, and Elisenda shows relief that he has come out of their lives. It is something hypocritical about how human beings expect things to fall by their weight and not accept a fact with its good and bad sides.

Conclusion

Was the old man really a death demon in search of the child or a cherub of life? I think he was just a passive being, oblivious to the world around him, a world full of greed and ignorance. He was a being who only wanted to live. “The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” is a metaphoric example, used by the author to describe how we react to the unknown. Marquez uses old age as a synonym for the end of life. Also, he uses a newborn child as a synonym for beginning, and the reactions of the world surrounding them as human fears. This narrative serves as a fable about how men reject appearances without taking the trouble to see beyond what is obvious. It is a sample of some of the worst human values that are imposed by society and a reminder of how we should be aware of them (Bloom, 2009).

References:

• Garcia Marquez, G. (1972). A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings. In Leaf Storm and Other Stories. Harper & Row.
• Bloom, H. (2009). Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings". Bloom's Literary Criticism.