“A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”

by Gabriel

Garcia Marquez

Magic Realism

& Imagery

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Author and Setting

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, born in 1928 in Aracatuba, Colombia

Won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982

Setting is in a small seaside village in South America

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What genre is this?

Short Story Magic Realism

"Reality is not always

probable, or likely."

----Jorge Luis Borges ----

Definition The introduction of magical devices or magic in

general within a believable (realistic) story, without any disruption of the logic of the story.

Magic Realism is a literary style that "combines realistic, everyday details with elements of fantasy, blurring the reader's usual distinctions between reality and magic. But unlike other works of the imagination such as fairy tales or folk legends, stories of magic realism lead to no clear morals or simple truths; they present a rich and vivid world of magical possibilities, while frustrating and complicating the reader's efforts to fix a definite meaning to events”

Also called "marvelous realism“ (Carpentier)

Magical Realism vs Fantasy

In fantastic literature, a new universe is introduced to the reader, with its laws (natural as well as artificial), its regularities, its objects, its people, its forces, etc.

This world is completely different from ours, or has enough differences so that we (readers) need explanations to understand it correctly.

Magic Realism vs Fantasy

In magic realist literature, the world depicted is ours, with one major new component: magic is a possibility (and an actuality) within it. There shouldn’t be any need to explain what is going on in this world, its laws, its people, etc. We already know that since it is a fictional reproduction of our world.

Magic Realism Elements of dreams, fairy tales, folklore, or

mythology.

Earthly, realistic settings.

Laws of nature suspended.

Realism combined with supernatural.

Effect? Humorous and

thought-provoking results.

Angel Flores “In magical realism we

find the transformation of the common and the everyday into the awesome and the unreal. It is predominantly an art of surprises. Time exists in a kind of  timeless fluidity and the unreal happens as part of reality. Once the reader accepts the fait accompli, the rest follows with logical precision.”

Your Turn Do you see elements

of magical realism in the text?

b) What are the "magical possibilities" in this story? How is the supernatural mixed with the mundane?

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Magic Realism Example #1

“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.”

“Against the judgment of

the wise neighbor woman, for whom angels in those

times were the fugitive survivors of a spiritual conspiracy,

they did not have the heart to club him to

death.”

Magic Realism Example #2

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Tone and Mood

The mood of the story is very gloomy and dark

What is the culture and time period of this text?

The setting is in an unnamed coastal town, probably in South America.

Happened sometime in the past although it doesn’t give many hints as to when.

Format The story is packaged as a fable. Its subtitle--"A Tale

for Children"--underscores its fairy tale format.

Also has a religious element in when the angel is flying away at the end, signifies faith.

So is there a moral?

Several are possible: People wouldn't recognize a miracle even if they saw

one.

Patience pays off.

Appearances are deceptive.

Types of Satire – from AP

There are 2 basic forms of satire –

Formal or Direct Satire

Indirect Satire.

Formal Satire is first person satire directed to the audience or another character in the text.

Indirect Satire is expressed through narrative and is normally told in the 3rd person. It is derived from the actions of the characters.

Direct Satire – from AP Formal or Direct Satire can be broken down

into 2 basic types: Horatian and Juvenalian.

Horatian Satire is gentle, urbane, smiling satire; it aims to correct by gentle, sympathetic laughter

Juvenalian Satire is biting, bitter, and angry in tone. It points with contempt and moral indignation to the corruption and evil of human beings and institutions.

A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings is a harsh cruel and gripping tale that shows how compassion is made more startling and significant when it is highlighted against such an existence of cruelty, abuse, and horrors.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez a writer of deeply sorrowful epics helps us to remember that we should treat all well for we may be dealing with Angels or the Lord himself in disguise. The book [sic] A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings is fraught with symbolism.

Wings are symbolic of unchecked freedom of motion and Angels and yet he chooses to stay with the family as an act of compassion to change their lives.

The spider woman is atypical of many people’s pettiness, only when it’s easy and works in my favor to support my prejudices, and all too convenient "Faith".

Gabriel Garcia Marquez's tale is as poignant now as it was when he wrote it. It shows humanity’s inhumanity toward each other based on looks, culture, faith, gender, race, creed, as the backdrop to highlight our moments of compassion towards each other and our diversity.

http://www.reference.com/motif/society/a-very-old-man-with-enormous-wings-symbolism

Ordinary world Pelayo and Elisenda killing the crabs.

Taking care of their sick child.

Call to Adventure Pelayo finds a very old man with wings lying

face down in the mud

Goes to get his wife to show her.

Refusal of call

When they stick him in the chicken coop.

Afraid of why he is there.

Meeting with Mentor Father Gonzaga came and said he would write

to the bishop who would write to his primate who would write to the Supreme Pontiff for a final verdict of what to do with "the angel"

Approaching the Inmost Cave

What do you think?

Could the small miracles that occurred after the angels appearance be a sign of the unknown?

Ordeal When the Father Gonzaga was doubting the

man and was shown differently than what he thought.

When the angel became sick.

Reward Pelayo and Elisenda made a lot of money from

the angel, they bought new clothes and built a new house.

Transformation Relieved when he left, because he had not

taken their child

The child got better.

Trials Not knowing what to do with the old man.

Father Gonzaga thinking the man is an imposter.

Pelayo and Elisenda charging five cents per person to see the angel when a carnival arrivived in town with a girl turned into a spider from disobeying her parents.

The trials of the people who came to see the man.