“A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Gabriel Marquez story “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” gives the account of Pelayo and his wife Elisenda who find an old man with enormous wings face down in the mud of his yard. His neighbor identifies the man as an angel but the local priest doubts whether he is really an angel or it was merely an evil trick. “The Book of Sand” by Jorge Borges tells the story of a man who is obsessed with books. A strange bible salesman gives him a visit and offers an unusual “holy book." He explains to the man the value of the book and the mystery surrounding it. Borges’ life was nearly destroyed by the mystery surrounding the book. He hid “the book of sand” on a shelf in the library. Both Marquez and Borges use a style of writing called magical realism. This style of writing is rather controversial and critics call it merely a ‘passe’ literary trendor that unimaginative writers use to capitalize on the Latin American literary period. It is believed that these works should not be taken seriously because this style does not lend itself to any literary form but it should be noted that magical realism is not the only thing that makes the writer great. The themes of infinity and obsession flow throughout both stories and plant in the reader’s mind the concept of infinity which gives a philosophical insight into life.
The Cuban Novelist Alejo Carapentier first used the term Magic Realism in the 1940’s. Soon other writers adopt this style of writing. In fact Garcia adopts Borges’ style of writing in his works. In “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” author Gabriel Garcia Marquez intertwines the natural with the supernatural in an astonishing way. The people in the village were curious as to what could an old smelly dirty man be doing pretending to be an angel. Marquez use this story to stimulate our thoughts and leaves us to ask ourselves just how we would react if we met with something supernatural right outside our door. He mixes the most unexciting and parts of life with the phenomenal. Marquez’s use of creativity and uniqueness weaves a story from which we see aspects of our daily lives yet there is something that is beyond our realm of understanding.
A close scrutiny of “The Book of Sand” by Jorge Luis Borges reveals events of a story like Marquez’s which contains many thought provoking ideas of the real meaning of life. The narrator describes a volume which gives a description of space. Like Marquez’s angel, the book seem to represent time eternal as the salesman said “If space is infinite, we may be at any point in time” ( Bourges para. 19). The angel came from somewhere that was never heard of and he seems to have lived for a million years. He exists in Pelayo’s backyard and yet he seems to belong to some other realm. The book’s pages are endless, the book has no beginning and no end yet it is present and can be seen as a part of the whole sphere of our existence.
The book of Sand seems to be several years old and unusually heavy. It is well worn and written in columns and short verses just like a used bible. The book appeared to be written in a strange language and the numbers were confusedly numbered. The book never opened to the same page twice. The angel that fell out of the skies wore enormous wings that indicate that it was not of this world. Both Marquez and Bourges use symbols to represent the infinity of space and time. The Angel is described as a very old man, dirty and smelly and, seems in need of urgent care. This description does not fit a heavenly being. To the people he does not fit into their everyday world either. He does not know the language of the people and they cannot say if he speaks the language of any holy creature because they are unable to understand him. He arrives unknowingly and leaves the same way he came without any explanation. All that is left are confused minds as to whether this winged man represents the mysteries that exist in this world or the next. If he is really supernatural we cannot comprehend him and we can only assume that what we saw is probably in our imagination.
In both stories the natural is mixed with the supernatural. The Angel is too much human that Father Gonzaga says he’s “much too human” (Marquez para. 5). Everything about him is quite the opposite of an angel but on close examination we see aspects of the angel character coming out like patience. He endures the prodding and the unkind comments. He does not fight back. The people in the story did not wait to see if they could find even one thing in the old man that was similar to them. They thought he was an imposter and so they treated him as one. Their humanness was visible. They did not know the old man so they were unkind. In “The Book of Sand” the narrator did not know this book so like all human being he begins to be curious. He was not aware that the book would soon consume his life. He was obsessed with what he could not figure out.
The same thing happened in “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.” The people could not understand this enigma so they allowed it to consume their lives. The narrator in Borges’ book allowed the book to consume him to the point of losing his friends. Marques’ characters lose their sense of compassion. They were unable to find out what “magic” the angel has in him so they lose interest in him. Borges’ character he was unable to unlock the secret of the book so he got rid of it. With the use of magical realism, Marquez use of natural tendencies of humanity is interlaced with supernatural elements. The doctor notices that the angel’s wings are attached to his body, they are real but he is unable to give an explanation as to how humans could grow wings. Being human the people saw an opportunity to exploit this poor creature expecting it to perform some miracle. When they found out that he could not help them they mistreat him. Bourges, thinking that the book had magical powers he did not share it or reveal to anyone that he had this book in his possession.
The angel was exploited and locked up in a coop and barely given anything to eat because he proved incapable of helping. In “The Book of Sand” Bourges realized that instead of bettering his life with the purchase of this book it only made his life more complicated. He had to get rid of it. This book only consumed his life. Elisenda, in “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” was relieved when the angel grew fresh wings and flew off into the horizon. It did not matter to her that the angel had made them rich. Both stories show the way the human mind work. We often do not see things for what they are instead we ignore what is real because we do not feel we will benefit. The Borges’ narrator quickly gave up his pension and a very old copy of his most cherished bible because he thought that he was getting a treasure for little.
With the tone that the author sets in the ending, we are left to ask: how many times do we glance up for a moment, see a glimpse of something beyond the ordinary, and just look away? How often are we confronted with something truly amazing and fail to see it for what it is because we refuse to get past the question, “What’s in it for me?” With his use of magical realism, Gabriel Garcia Marquez opens the door to some interesting questions and invites the reader to not only enter a place of imagination and mystery, but also to look into one’s own thoughts and actions and see how they measure up against the elements – normal and abnormal – of everyday life.
Marquez use wings as a symbol of power and endless freedom of movement. However, the angel’s wings only show age and disease. Here Marquez aimed to show us that reality and fantasy exist in the human mind and it is up to us to decide if what is presented to us is real or imagined. The book of sand could also be an illusion. The old man was all alone with nothing to do. He loved books but now he is retired. Could it be that this story was only a figment of his imagination or could it be real? Bourges and Marquez both interrupt time and space by introducing the element of what is not real. They blur the line between dream and reality. In the Book of Sand the narrator says a man enters the door but he was unable to see the man’s face clearly; it was but a blur (Bourges para. 2). They attempt to show that the concept they have of self is but an illusion.
Reference
Jewel, B. (2013). Literary Analysis: “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”
Stumpo, J. (nd.) Until Someone Loses an I: The Deconstruction of “Self” In Borges and
Lovecraft. The New York Review of Science Fiction.
‘Poem about Relationships’
Relationships
What holds it together?
What makes us withstand the weather?
So hard to make, so easy to break.
You are my inspiration, your beauty my aspiration
A relationship, a kindred spirit, a validation of my soul
I would barely feel sufficient but for the bond that we share.
What holds it together?
Swear I will never ever leave you
So hard to make, so easy to break.
What makes it seem so natural is that you were made for me
Like Adam and Eve you were intended - created just for me.
I was not intended to be alone, you complete me, yes!
The completeness makes us one in each other’s arm.
What holds it together?
A thousand times can’t fathom
So hard to make, so easy to break.
Now, yes in a loving relationship we embrace
Speaking to each other our deep joy and our healing
We offer of ourselves our strength and our beauty
Our love we bring to each other our outmost duty.
A connection so rare, God made us a pair
A story about death
Death comes to Pine cliff
Looking down from the towering dark cliffs, deadly waves washed ashore to meet sharp-edged boulders that seem to slice even the still calm air. The silhouette of a tall, slim frame stood precariously in the dim light looking over the dark bay. Death had come to Pine Cliff over a year ago and now there seem to be some invading force calling someone to his demise. The drunken stranger could feel the whistling wind roughly caressing and nipping at his ears and nose. He took a step closer to the edge and closed his eyes.
Memories coursed through his mind. He had committed the most deadly sin and now it was time to pay. He was a drunken maniac who had no mercy on his wife and children when he drank. He could not understand why the woman whom he loved so much and had married for better or for worse should now be the latter. He had come home in a drunken stupor and had taken his wrath out on poor Diana again. The picture of a bloody face, burst lips, blood-shot eyes stared at him in confusion and the words why mouthed through heavy, swollen lips. What had he done? As he staggered through the door Diana slumped to the floor, her badly battered frame could not bear the pain.
“The only person who wants me now is death.” The words caught in the wind sent an eerie sound echoing on the waves – death! it screamed. He stretched his arms out and grasped the air as his tall frame soared above the waters as though suspended for a second. The dark depths rose and opened its wide mouth encircling him and pulling him toward the sharp rocks. It tore at his flesh and it was sweet relief as his limp body rested at the bottom of the cliff. As suddenly as the waters roared there was now calm that settled over the bay. Pine Cliff could rest now – at least for another year when it becomes restless again.
A magical moment in my life
There had been so much joy shared between us. Our days were filled holding hands and taking nature walks in the hills and swimming in the cool deep sea-green pond behind the big boulders at the foot of the hill. Michael and I had spent many evenings wrapped in each other’s arms sitting on these worn steps until it was time to go to bed. Then we would crawl between soft fresh sheets and wind ourselves in each other’s arms, our conversation ending when there was no reply from something I would say.
Now he was gone for three whole months and today he was coming home. I could not wait. One thing puzzled me though and it is that Michael refused to say exactly what time he would be home. I got up early this morning as something tells me that today was the day. In the afternoon after lunch I felt sleepy so I sat on the back porch reading a book as I did not want to fall asleep. I must have fallen asleep as suddenly I was awaked by the sound of loud music. I rushed to the front porch and peered down the road.
There was a procession and sitting high on top of a military truck shrouded in red, white and blue sat a man in full white sailor’s outfit. My thoughts went to Michael but I dismissed the idea of him arriving with such fanfare. As the procession drew closer I could make out a familiar figure. No it could not be Michael!
“What in the ..?” Before I could finish the sentence I was lifted high in the air and carried on the shoulders of two strong men and deposited on top of the military truck right in the arms of my man. Suddenly the procession ceased and everything was like magic. The crowd stood in anticipation. You could hear a pin drop. Something shiny and dazzling made my eyes watered. Michael stood looking down at me with a thousand stars in his eyes. My knees went weak and I held on to him as he said those four magic words.
“Will you marry me?”
This was magic. Michael had proposed to me in front of the entire village. No words came from my lips. My only response was to hold him close. This was the most magical moment in my life.
What can I do to create peace in the world?
There have been calls from our world leaders for peace among all men. The worldwide crisis that we face is that there is no compassion among the human race. There is misunderstanding because of disagreement on ideologies, politics and religion. People fight for petty reasons ignoring the basic kindness that holds us all together as a single family. When we begin to lose sight of this important goal then we begin to forget the reason that mankind was put on this earth. To create world peace we have to begin with ourselves. Each person should take stock of the inner being and see if there is anything that is preventing him from loving himself first and then his brothers and sisters. I would advocate love and kind-heartedness. When we begin to take on an attitude of unselfishness and concern for others then we are displaying real love. Love is not to be extended only to our immediate family and friends but to everyone. You should not love only because you feel a sense of attachment to someone.
World peace comes when world leaders stop taking revenge on each other because they feel they have been wronged by that person. I would implore our leaders to begin to display understanding among themselves that the people they lead can follow. They should desist from manufacturing weapons of mass destruction and instead focus on helping each other to make life better for the people they govern. If we all practice universal humanitarianism then most of our global problems of poverty, sickness and creating enemies would disappear. I would preach to world leaders to teach individual responsibility and in so doing we could shape societies to serve human needs.
It is time for all people to see that each person is no different from the other. We must rise above seeing the differences in race, culture and beliefs. This kind of forward thinking would make us better individuals, make better communities and nations, and ultimately the world at large. I would be an advocate of transforming human attitudes. We have to teach each generation that we are all the same in thought, in our aspirations and that no matter how different we may seem we are one as out of many come one people.
