A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings

Understanding the text

Answer the following questions.

a. How does the narrator describe the weather and its effects in the exposition of the story?
Ans: The narrator describes the weather and its effects in the exposition of the story by presenting the details of the rainfall that lasts for three days. As Pelayo’s house was nearer to the ocean and due to the rainfall, many crabs were dead so the smell was spread all over the house.

b. Describe the strange old man as Pelayo and his wife first encounter within their courtyard.
Ans: Pelayo and his wife encountered an old man in their courtyard lying face down in the mud, very weak, impeded by his enormous wings, few fated hairs on his bald skull and very few teeth in his mouth.

c. Why did Pelayo and Elisenda imprison the old man in the chicken coop?
Ans: Pelayo and Elisenda imprisoned the old man in the chicken coop in the chicken soup because they thought he is an angel who was there to take care of their child.

d. Why was Father Gonzaga not sure about the old man being a celestial messenger?
Ans: Father Gonzaga was not sure about the old man being a celestial messenger due to the his appearance. The old man didn’t understand the God’s language and didn’t know how to greet his ministers.

e. Many people gathered at Pelayo’s house to see the strange old man. Why do you think the crowd assembled to see him?
Ans: Many people gathered at Pelayo’s house to see the strange old man. I think the crowd assembled to see him because the larger wings behind the elderly guy gave him an old appearance. They were curious to get to know about the old man where some believed he was God’s messenger and some teased him.

f. Some miracles happened while the crowd gathers to see the strange man. What are these miracles?
Ans: Some miracles happened while he crowd gathers to see the strange man. These miracles are the blind man who couldn’t recover his eyes but grew three new teeth. The leper whose shore flourished sunflowers and the paralytic person who couldn’t walk but almost won the lottery.

g. State the irritating things that the people did with the strange old man.
Ans: People were having fun and irritation the strong old man, without the slightest reverence, tossing him things to eat through the opening in the wire as it a circus animals. When people found him inactive, they tried to pull out his feathers to touch defective parts and throw stones at him to make him stand.

h. How and why was the woman changed into a spider?
Ans: The woman was changed into a spider is the lightening bolt of brimstone because of not obeying her parents. Without any permission. she went out to dance and when she was returning from the forest a massive lightening strike shattered the sky and a bolt of brimstone hit and converted her into a spider.

i. Describe how Elisenda saw the strange man flying over the houses.
Ans: While Elisenda was chopping the vegetables for lunch, she sensed a wind coming in from the high seas and ran to the window. She saw the elderly old man was attempting to fly. After some attempts, he succeeded and vanished as quickly as he came from the sea’s horizon.

Reference to he context

a. The arrival of a strange old man at Pelayo’s courtyard arouses many suspicions and explanations. Explain how the neighbour woman, Father Gonzaga and the doctor speak of the strange man. Why do you think these three people give three different kinds of interpretations?
Ans: The arrival of strange old man at Pelayo’s courtyard arouses many suspicious and explanations. The neighbour woman, Father Gonzaga and the doctor had different views regarding the old man. According to the neighbour woman, the old man was an angel who must have come for the child and helps to protect the child. According to the Father Gonzaga, he can’t understand the God’s language and don’t know how to respect the minister so he doubted the old man. Doctor after inspecting his heart and kidney, he hears the whistling in his heart and many noises in his kidney and he said that the old man can’t be alive. He was amazed to see the natural wings in the human organism.

I think these three people have different opinions and views regarding the old man because of this appearance and actions which were different from others. He possesses wings and spoke in a different language which no one could understand.

b. This story belongs to the genre of ‘magical realism’, a genre perfected by Gabriel Garcia Marquez in his novels and short stories. Magical realism is a narrative technique in which the story-teller narrates the common place things with magical colour and the events look both magical and real at the same time. Collect five magic realist happenings from the story and argue why they seem magical to you.
Ans: The story “A very old man with enormous wings” belongs to the genre of ‘magical realism’, a genre perfected by Gabriel Garcia Marquez in his novels and short stories. Here, old man is taken as a magical character. The magic realist happenings in the story are discussed below:

1. 1. When Pelayo was coming back to his home, he saw a old man with enormous wings lying in the pitiable state in his muddy courtyard which makes him scared and amazed. Here, it is difficult to believe about a man with natural wings.
   2. After seeing the old man, the neighbour woman called him “angel” who come to help the child which seems to be magical as the word “angel” is beyond the myths.
   3. When Pelayo and his wife were talking that old man talking in an unknown language which was different from others.
   4. The lady who doesn’t obey her parents was turned into spider when she was coming back  through the dark forest after dancing all night without her parent’s permission. A massive lightening took place and she turned into spider.
   5. The old man attempts to fly and after many attempts he succeed and fly in the sky.

c. The author introduces the episode of a woman who became a spider for having disobeyed her parents. This episode at once shifts people’s concentration from the strange old man to the spider woman. What do you think is the purpose of the author to bring this shift in the story?
Ans: The author introduces a captivating episode about a woman who transforms into a spider due to disobeying her parents. This sudden shift in focus from the strange old man to the spider woman aims to highlight a magical connection between unrelated events. By incorporating elements of magical realism, the author aims to depict extraordinary occurrences that connect the story to a world of wonder.

d. The story deals with the common people’s gullibility. How do Palayo and his wife take advantage of common people’s whim?
Ans: The story “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” deals with the common people’s gullibility. Here, Pelayo and his wife saw a old man in a pitiable state in their courtyard while returning back to their home. That old man has natural wings which makes them amazed and frightened. When they had conversation, that old man replied in an impenetrable dialect with a strong voice which is not understood by them. So they locked him in the wire chicken coop with the hens. When their neighbour woman called him an “angel” and told them that the old man is arrived to protect and help their child. So, they pulled the old man from the chicken coop and kept him in the room. After a short time, their child woke up without a fever and desire to eat. They felt that it is a magic and they believe that the old man is a angel. So, they decided to keep the old man in their home for three days with fresh water and provisions and leave him to his fate on the high seas. But when they woke up next morning, they saw huge crowd in-front of their house. The news that the old man is “angel” was spread. So, Pelayo’s wife thought an idea to charge five cents to see an angel. They collected a lot of money in the name of the old man and built and house and fulfil their desired needs from the money they collected.

Reference beyond the text

a. An irresistible crowd queues at Palayo’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: “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka follows Gregor Samsa, a salesman who wakes up as a monstrous insect. Gregor’s transformation causes isolation and strains his relationship with his family. Initially shocked, they grow indifferent and mistreat him as a burden. Kafka’s novella explores existentialism, dehumanization, and the fragility of identity.

Gregor’s attempts to communicate are met with fear and rejection, highlighting the breakdown of human connection. Eventually, his family perceives him as a threat and seeks his elimination. The story serves as a bleak portrayal of human nature, questioning societal norms and the limits of empathy.

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: The taste of children is different from grown-ups. The elements in the story that make ‘The Old Man with Enormous Wings’ a children’s story are:

• • The old man is called “angel” who has natural wings which can’t be believed as a man with natural wings.
  • The situation where the crowd of people pay 5 cents in the yard to see the old man as angel.
  • A lady who turned into spider because of not obeying her parents and going anywhere without the permission of her parents.
  • The old man tried to fly with his wings and after many attempts he succeeded and fly over the sky.