Please use the rubrics below to conduct a
4-page research essay on a Very Old Man with Enormous Wings. Please provide a separate page for the works cited (5 pages total). The primary source should be a Very Old Man with Enormous wings, please see attached, and the secondary sources (at least 4) should be scholarly sources. Let me know if you have any questions. I have provided my discussion post that I did on this story so that you have a reference of what it should look like.
“A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez allows deep reflection on faith, isolation, and curiosity. One of the main characters, Pelayo, finds the older man with enormous wings in his courtyard, face down in mud, struggling to get up because of the size of his wings. Ultimately, Pelayo and his wife, Elisenda, conclude that the older man is an angel. However, not everyone is as welcoming as they are. Even the priest, Father Gonzaga, is skeptical of the older man.
Having faith can be challenging. Pelayo and Elisenda want to believe that the older man is an angel, whereas the priest himself is more skeptical of the older man being an angel. Although the visual appearance of the older man exhibits an angel, the priest believes that certain aspects make the older man ineligible to be an angel. For example, the priest said good morning in Latin to the older man, and the man couldn’t understand the priest. This example shows the challenging side of faith; the older man has angel wings, but because he does not understand certain concepts, he is considered an “imposter” and not a real angel.
The community is curious about the older man with enormous wings. Some believe he is an angel, whereas others want to harm him and think he is a fraud. Although a fictional story, it has a deeper meaning hidden behind the lines. The story shows how society treats individuals who are “different.” A man who physically looks like an angel is either supported or not supported, but why is he not just left alone? Whether or not Marquez intended to create a writing that the readers can reflect on, the piece has a lot of meaning that reflects the society that we live in.
Ultimately, “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabrial Garcia Marquez has many elements that could symbolize the world we live in. Although there are no old men with enormous wings in real life, Marquez wanted to create a story exploring the hardships that individuals who are different go through. We need to look at the bigger picture and support the people around us regardless of their appearance; what truly matters is what’s on the inside.
