"A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings" By: Gabriel Garcia Marquez

This very imaginative story, that is a mixture of realism and fantasy, is about a couple who discover an old man with wings lying on their land. As the story goes on the couple begin to exploit the old man for their own benefit. People come from all over to see the winged creature and they charge admission. Once the town moves on to the next attraction, they no longer have a need for the old man. This story is one that can be interpreted in many different ways. One example is as a depiction of human nature and how human behavior effects others. The old man was treated as nothing more than a tourist attraction and the couple is using him for their own financial gain. The actions of the couuple show how humans can sometimes have a tendency to be selfish and ungrateful. When the old man was no longer popular to the town Pelayo and Elisenda looked at him as a nuisance. Even though the old man provided them with a new home, more money than they know what to do with and, and basically a better life than what they had before, they never showed any appreciation. Elisenda was glad to see him leave her life. Another example was the way the town treated the old man. To them he was a freak, not a real person, and that is exactly how they treated him. Since he failed to fulfill their need for attention, they were cruel to him. Since humans crave attention from others, the Spider Girl that came to town became a the favorite. The old man in the story may have been considered an angel to some, but to others he was just a dirty old man with wings. Determining what he is and his purpose for being there is just another part of the story to explore. There is not set explanation for this story and the mind is able to come up with as many interpretations as it wants.