A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel García Márquez

Summary for Class 12 NEB Students

Gabriel García Márquez (1927–2014) was a Colombian novelist and short‑story writer best known for developing the literary style called magical realism, a technique that blends everyday reality with magical elements in a natural way. His works, including One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera, have influenced world literature by showing how the ordinary and extraordinary can coexist. A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings is a short story that uses magical realism to explore human nature, compassion, cruelty, and the fleeting quality of human attention.

The story begins in a small seaside village where Pelayo and his wife, Elisenda, discover a decrepit old man with enormous wings lying in their courtyard after a long rainstorm. The man looks weak, filthy, and mysterious, speaking a language no one understands. The neighbors speculate that he is an angel, come to take their sick child to heaven, and this belief spreads rapidly. Pelayo and Elisenda confine the old man in their chicken coop, and soon the news of his arrival attracts crowds from all over. Some villagers see him as a heavenly messenger; others doubt his authenticity. The local priest, Father Gonzaga, is unsure whether the old man is truly divine, and even scientific figures examine him without resolving the mystery. Despite the initial compassion, people increasingly mistreat and exploit him, demonstrating the complexity of human responses to the unknown.

As the crowd’s fascination grows, Pelayo and Elisenda begin charging admission fees, profiting from the old man’s presence and quickly improving their own living conditions. However, interest in the aged stranger wanes when a more sensational attraction appears: a woman transformed into a giant spider after defying her parents. The villagers’ attention shifts to the spider woman, revealing how easily human curiosity and concern can be diverted. Through these changing attitudes, the story highlights society’s fickle nature, its tendency to exploit the mysterious for personal gain, and its struggle to feel genuine compassion. In the end, after suffering neglect and occasional cruelty, the old man regains strength, spreads his wings, and flies away, leaving behind a village that has forgotten both his meaning and his presence.

The themes of the story include magical realism, human selfishness and cruelty, the transience of fascination, and the ambiguity of the miraculous. By presenting a supernatural figure in a mundane setting and observing how ordinary people treat him, Márquez challenges readers to reflect on how societies understand and value the unfamiliar. The narrative suggests that genuine empathy is rare and that people often respond to wonder with exploitation or indifference, preferring spectacle over deeper understanding.

Main Characters

• Pelayo: A villager who first finds the old man with wings.

• Elisenda: Pelayo’s wife, who helps manage the crowds and profits from the old man’s presence.

• The Old Man with Enormous Wings: A mysterious, winged stranger whose origins and nature remain ambiguous.

• Father Gonzaga: The local priest who tries to determine whether the old man is an angel.

• The Spider Woman: A magical attraction that diverts the villagers’ attention away from the old man.

Glossary

• magical realism (n.): a storytelling style that blends realistic events with magical elements

• decrepit (adj.): old and in bad condition

• speculate (v.): to form ideas without definite evidence

• divine (adj.): relating to God or a godlike being

• fickle (adj.): changing quickly in interests or loyalty

• exploit (v.): to use something or someone unfairly for personal gain

• astonish (v.): to surprise greatly

• spectacle (n.): a visually striking or exciting event

• mundane (adj.): ordinary or everyday

• ambiguous (adj.): unclear or open to more than one interpretation

Reference Beyond the Text

a. An irresistible crowd queues at Pelayo’s house for many days simply to look at the strange old man. Narrate an episode from your experience or from another story where people assemble in crowds, not for any noble cause.

Ans. In A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, an irresistible crowd gathers at Pelayo’s house for days just to see the strange old man. A similar scenario can be found in Nissim Ezekiel’s poem “Night of the Scorpion.” In the poem, after a scorpion stings the poet’s mother during heavy rainfall, all the surrounding villagers rush to the house. They chant God’s name, search with lanterns, and try to intervene with folk remedies. The crowd behaves with urgency and superstition, claiming the scorpion’s poison would cleanse sins or protect future generations. Though their intentions seem pious, their behavior reflects human curiosity, fear, and collective hysteria rather than any truly noble cause. This episode parallels Pelayo’s crowd, showing how humans are drawn to extraordinary events, often prioritizing spectacle over understanding or morality.

b. The taste of children is different from grown-ups. What are the elements in the story that make “The Old Man with Enormous Wings” a children’s story?

Ans. Children’s literature often includes genres such as fables, fairy tales, folktales, legends, trickster tales, and tall tales. A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings fits the genre of a modern fairy tale, combining magical elements with everyday life.

Elements that appeal to children include:

1. Magic and wonder: The very idea of a man with enormous wings living in the courtyard sparks curiosity and imagination. Even if children cannot fully comprehend the situation, it excites their sense of fantasy.

2. Moral lessons: The story introduces a spider-woman transformed as a consequence of disobedience, providing a clear, if stark, moral for young readers.

3. Fantastic events in ordinary settings: Unlike traditional fairy tales that begin with “Once upon a time,” the story places magical occurrences within a familiar town, making it relatable and intriguing for children.

4. The flight of the old man: The ending, in which the old man flies away, appeals to children’s love of freedom and adventure, leaving a sense of wonder and delight.

5. Visual imagination: The characters’ unusual appearances, such as the old man’s wings and the spider-woman’s transformation, stimulate children’s vivid imaginations, making the story memorable.

Though adults may focus on social criticism, human greed, and moral ambiguity, children are captivated by the magical, fantastic, and imaginative elements. This dual appeal allows Gabriel García Márquez to call it “A Tale for Children,” blending simplicity, moral lessons, and wonder.