A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings

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Yuvraj Sharma English D Ms. Ahlers January 23, 2015 The Very Old Man With Enormous Wings Essay In what ways does The Very Old Man With Enormous Wings parallel a children’s story or fable? As stated in the title, “The Very Old Man With Enormous Wings” contains many aspects to be eligible as “a tale for children.” A children’s story is characterized by the imagery and symbols used to catch their attention, at the same time teaching them something of value. Marquez, with the use of magical realism, realistic descriptions as well as imagery has attracted the attention of children and taught them that we should have compassion and understanding for all creatures. “He had to go very close to see that it was an old man, a very old man, lying face down in the mud, who, in spite of his tremendous efforts, couldn't get up, impeded by his enormous wings.” The author has used magical realism and has brought magic into the dull reality of a muddy day thus creating a sudden point of interest for the young reader. The story begins on a gloomy day and the introduction of the angel brings an out of the world element into the story. Again the arrival of the spider-woman, a magical non-human also catches the attention of children. While she is a magical creature in looks, the reason for her condition – lack of obedience- is one that all children can relate to. Besides magical realism, the author has also used imagery to make the story vivid. He starts with the descriptions such as “March nights glimmered like powdered light”, “a stew of mud and rotten shellfish”, and continues to hold attention throughout the story by references such as “the back side of his wings was strewn with parasites” and “a whirlwind of chicken dung and lunar dust”. References to carnivals, acrobats and odd creatures such as the spider-woman were all subjects that children like to read about. Like
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