A Glimpse of Faith and Fantasy: “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel García Márquez
Raquel Luna Mendoza
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If you are looking for a story that blends fantasy with reality in a meaningful and symbolic way, “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel García Márquez is an excellent choice. First published in 1955, this short story is one of the most famous examples of magical realism, a literary style that combines magical elements with everyday situations as if they were completely normal. Gabriel García Márquez, a Colombian author and one of the most important writers in Latin American literature, is known worldwide for using this unique narrative style to explore themes such as human nature, religion, and society.
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The story begins when Pelayo and Elisenda, a poor couple living in a small coastal village, discover an old man with enormous wings lying face down in the mud of their backyard after a heavy storm. The man is dirty, weak, and speaks in an incomprehensible language. Although he looks like a human, his wings make people believe he might be an angel—or at least something supernatural. However, instead of treating him with kindness, the couple locks him in a chicken coop and starts charging people money to see him. Soon, their house becomes a local attraction, and people from all over come to see the “angel.” The couple becomes rich, but the old man continues to live in poor conditions, ignored and mistreated by most visitors.
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García Márquez uses this surreal situation to reflect deeply on human behavior. Through the reactions of the villagers and the couple, the author shows how people can be cruel, selfish, and easily distracted. At first, they are curious and hopeful, thinking the man might bring miracles. But as time passes, they get bored of him and move on to the next strange attraction: a woman who was turned into a spider. This change in attention shows how quickly people lose interest in what they do not understand, and how often they prefer entertaining stories over mysterious truths.
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One of the most important elements of this story is its use of symbolism. The old man with wings can represent many things: an angel, a test of faith, a symbol of the unknown, or even a metaphor for how society treats the marginalized. Despite his wings, which are usually associated with beauty and power, the man is described as ugly, old, and almost useless. This contradiction makes the reader question the meaning of miracles and how people define what is “divine” or “important.” García Márquez never gives clear answers, leaving much to the reader’s interpretation.
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This uncertainty is a key feature of magical realism. In this genre, magical events happen in a realistic world, but the characters react to them as if they were ordinary. In “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”, nobody is shocked by the presence of a man with wings; they simply try to make sense of it within their daily lives. There is no explanation of where he came from, what he wants, or what he truly is. García Márquez presents this magical element as just another part of reality, allowing readers to focus more on the characters’ responses than on the mystery itself.
Another interesting theme in the story is faith and religion. Many villagers think the old man is an angel, but their treatment of him does not reflect the respect or reverence usually shown to holy beings. The local priest tries to understand if the man truly is an angel, but even he is more focused on official rules than on the spiritual message. This shows how religion, instead of inspiring compassion, can sometimes become about control and appearances.
In the end, after spending years in the couple’s yard and being treated more like an animal than a human, the old man grows stronger and finally flies away, silently and mysteriously. His departure brings no miracles, no punishment, and no final message. Life simply goes on. This quiet ending is typical of García Márquez’s writing—he does not seek to teach a moral lesson directly, but instead invites readers to reflect on their own ideas of humanity, kindness, and mystery.
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In conclusion, “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” is more than just a strange tale about a man with wings, it is a deeply symbolic story that questions how we react to the unknown. Through magical realism, Gabriel García Márquez creates a world where the extraordinary becomes ordinary, and in doing so, he reveals the flaws and contradictions of human nature. This short story is a perfect introduction to Latin American literature and to García Márquez’s powerful and poetic way of storytelling. It reminds us that sometimes, the magical things in life are not there to be explained, but to be felt and understood in our own way.