I believe that a major theme within the story, "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings", is the complexity of human nature. We see how the villagers react to the old man, which in a way is both cruel but compassionate. The story depicts how society acts when we see something different and new. In a way society acts with fear and curiosity to new different things. Just like it was stated in the lecture about stereotypes, we have all made them before, or judged someone for being different. That is what the villagers are doing to the old man, they are judging him. Additionally, I think Garcia Marquez wants the reader to interpurt the reading on their own and the meaning behind the story. Rather than just saying the theme of the story, Marquez makes us analyze the aspects of the story to come up with it's theme or meaning. I believe this makes the story stronger and have a deeper more hidden meaning.
I believe this story is about human greed. As you said in the lecture Dr. Kosters, angels are simply God’s messengers and look nothing like what the old man with the large wings did. Humans have simply come up with what they believe angels should look like and do for us. When prayers are not granted, we may feel rejected by God, as these villagers feel by the old man with the enormous wings. The greed appears in the way that they treat him. When he doesn’t do what they expect of him and doesn’t speak Latin, they horribly mistreat him. It is human nature to treat things that are different and hard to understand with fear and aggression. We can see this a lot with spiders and snakes. They are lovely creatures that go about life in their own ways, but due to the mass fear of them being different, people often kill them. Thank you Dr. Kosters for this lecture on “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings”. It was very interesting to learn how angels are actually believed to look in the Bible as compared to how people traditionally view them.
I really liked this story. I relate this a lot with the kids I work with. I work with children on the autism spectrum, and they are typically viewed as "weird" and different by other kids around them. However, I love to talk to those children who do not understand and I explain to them that we are all different and just because they may not know how to communicate properly does not mean that they don't want to be included in things. They still want to make friends, and they still want to play and be loved, just like everyone else. Once I talk to those kids who don't understand, things tend to change. When they see me and my students in the hallway they will will smile or say hi. Kids are very capable of understanding if we are willing to sit, talk, and explain to them.
Thank you for sharing this! I am so glad you are able to help other people recognize that kindness should be shown and expected no matter the differences between others.
This story really stood out to me, I couldn't help but to think "how would I respond if I were to witness an angel?" The community in this story mistreat the very old man for being different from the. They believe the wise woman when she tells them that he is an angel, however because the man does not speak or interact with the community he is shunned. It is upsetting and cruel to read about how they mistreat an outsider for being different, angel or not. And this happens in the real world all the time. There is a lot of judgement, mistreatment, and lack of acceptance when a person doesn't fit the "standards and expectations of a community. Rather than giving each other an opportunity to get to know one another, it is often dismissed. Going back to my thought, I prefer to give myself and the person in front of me an opportunity to get to know one another rather than going off of the judgements of others.
I believe that the story, "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings" really depicts how human nature can at times be gruesome. As mentioned in the lecture, the villagers utilized the Old Man for self serving purposes. When they realized the Old Man was not as helpful as they had thought, the old man was left to be forgotten. It really demonstrates that at times humans are blinded by superstition and selfishness. The villagers had been drawn by how new and different the being was. They then had false expectancies that were not met and were disappointed. The Old Man never put himself on a pedestal, it was the villagers who did so simply due to it's appearance and their inevitable nature of glorifying unknown beings.
These lectures are really helpful in analyzing the stories. If an angel appeared in my backyard I would be shocked at the salient looking unfamiliar being. Though i would still try and figure out what it is before getting any closer to it. I mean if it doesn't growl like a monster than I'd assume it wasn't harmful and wouldn't hurt a fly. So i would be cautious enough to not do anything to hurt it. Why would I, if it's not hurting me or anyone else. Also, I loved the way you interpreted the concept of God and how we "project our own beliefs and ideas on him and what we believe his role is in our lives." That was the perfect interpretation of God, it really makes a lot of sense to how people feel and believe a God and it's religious symbolic nature to the vision of reality of different Gods.
This lecture definitely helped me further understand "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings". I will say that this story reflects the downside and cruelty that is enacted upon society when they decide whom to alienate and isolate. Also, the religious perspective of the story highlights the standards set upon organized religion, and how not meeting those standards or requirements can cause hostility towards said individual, to the point of alienating them from the community. It truly evinces how society views and acts when seeing someone or something different from them.
Hi Dr. Kosters, I really liked this story. Thank you for introducing it to me. I think this story really shows us how cruel humans and society can be. The villagers in the story used the old man to their best needs and once they realized that the old man was not as useful as they ad originally thought, they left him there, forgotten. The same could be said for people in modern society. Humans tend to do the same when it comes to utilizing someone or something. Once they realize they no longer can use that person or item to their best interest, they tend to leave that person or item behind. This story also proves that people tend to glorify and worship the unknown.
This story to me tells the relation of people and religion in regards to blind faith. The inconsistency of faith within this particular community is shown by their reception to the man and his appearance, though I would put myself in their shoes and try and think the way i would perceive this man myself. Whats also interesting to me is how quickly the public turns on the man in the midst of a new and exciting thing, it very much is a reflection on our society and our capacity of comprehension.
People often have negative emotions towards things they don’t understand, only because they don’t understand it. We should take the time to understand people and their cultures. Thank you for this post Dr. Kosters
If an angel appeared in my backyard, I would probably get scared---not because it was an angel, but because it is something foreign. Also, I really don't like birds, so this man having wings would probably freak me out. Regardless, I would ultimately work up the courage to go see this creature up close and ultimately tend to it however he needs, however I can. I can definitely acknowledge the theme of treating someone a certain way just because they are different.
Another great lecture, Professor Kosters! I enjoyed hearing what you had to say and the visual images you had during the duration of the video. If I was in a situation where some sort of angel fell in my backyard I would probably try and interrogate it. From asking about the existence of god and what it's like in heaven, if there is one, and if it had any special abilities. I would probably hide the angel as it may gain attention from the authorities and they may take possession of it. I would also wanna know my future and or any meaning as to why it was in my backyard.
A very enlightening lecture, thank you professor. I think humans always fear what we don't understand. You see it all the time today; different races, different religions, different sexualities, different gender identities, etc. The greed aspect is interesting, though. The people of the town shunned the new arrival but they also desired things from the new arrival. Can't have your cake and eat it too. Many people who claim to be religious do not actually follow the words of their God and their texts. They don't act like good people. If the people in the story were truly devout... would they not welcome the man with open arms and treat him with kindness?
It was really hard for me to read this story coz I felt so bad for the angel. I've known people who are treated like he is in the story and it's unbearable to witness.
That’s understandable. Yes, there have been many, many groups of people and people in general who have been subjected to terrible abuse based simply on the fact that they may seem different to someone else.
No one can appreciate or decpiher what's right in front of them. There's a movie releasing called American Fiction, and in it the protagonist is so caught up with what other people are doing that he fails to see what's been in front of him the entire time, and just appreciating that. I feel like this is similar because everyone expects this man to be someone or something greater, and actively begin working against him because of that when they simply ignore and can't see what/who he is.
I always believe human nature fears what they don’t understand or have never experienced. This was a very interesting read, and I also love how you explained and gave a detailed review about the story. It kind of makes you sad when you think about how people or things are mistreated by The unknown or even misunderstanding
First and foremost, I loved this story from start to finish! I feel that there were so many details and religious elements added to it such as angels which made it even more fascinating. When I first read this story, I was heavily convinced that the angel was the devil all along. The reason for why I believed this was because the whole time I thought the "angel" was pretending he couldn't fly or do any angel-like miracles. The Devil is known to play tricks and games with people. He not only tempts us but also as well plays the trickster archetype in some sense which lead me to believe as well that he was taking the form of a "wounded angel." I greatly believed in this conviction because I just had this strong intuitive sense that it was the devil along, and how also at the end of the story of when the "angel" begins to fly, I interpreted it as the devil having his final laugh in his amusement park and then finally flying away someplace else to repeat the same devilish joke. Or, now that I think about it, it could be the devil falling from grace and being powerless as a result which would make sense for why he cannot do any miracles or fly again. Overall, the story and lecture were pleasant to read and listen to. Thank you, Professor Kosters!
I remember actually reading this story when I was younger in middle school so it was refreshing to understand again what it's about. I think it's interesting to see how people, even with good intentions, can behave badly when they don't get what they ask for. It also was interesting and a little sad to read about how the townspeople were treating the old man just because he looked and sounded out of the ordinary. If it were me, I of course would be weirded out by seeing an old man with enormous wings outside, but I would never treat them like a circus act or treat them like there was anything wrong with them. I think it also just shows how people can treat another person differently if they are the slightest bit different from them, which is a sad thing to realize.
To begin, both the name of the story and the ending have no exact meaning about what the whole story is about, whether the person was an angel, or a homeless person who suffered abuse from people who exaggerated their beliefs. How should I relate this story to; religious beliefs, angels does or do not exist? Personally, I think people are more about just being curious and exaggerating about anything. When people heard the second case of the woman who turned into a spider, they forget about the “Angel,” and ran to harass another victim; this made the story move away from the title. In the end, I was expecting a miracle, such as the person giving a heavenly message, which defined this person as an angel or a demon. Ultimately, it is just an interpretation of a person's different characters and behaviors, just like we do every day.
Angel or not, the old man with the wings didn't deserve to be mistreated from the very beginning. No one should be held captive & then left with scraps thrown at them. You would think they would treat the old man with wings with much respect, besides being a possible angel. I felt depressed knowing what his fate has become towards the end of the story. Somehow, this had me thinking about how most homeless people are being treated on the daily there either on the streets trying to survive from whatever it is that they faced as a downfall, while most of us ignore them due to various reasons. Not that any reason is good, but throughout the story just felt a lack of understanding & being empathetic towards the old man with wings. He didn't deserve what happened to him!
If an angel were to have fall into my backyard I’d be pretty terrified to be quite honest. To me the village people represents society as a whole using something to benefit themselves and after they realize this old man has no use they disown him and mistreat him terribly. This old man truly showed the colors of these villagers and what kind of people they really are. They appear to be holy and religious, but what kind of holy person throws stones at an innocent old man ?
First of all, this was an extremely great lecture filled with so much information, clarity and comprehension. It is very shocking and disgusting how the townspeople acted towards a man whom to them represented an angel of God. I feel like if I was them, I would have never done anything to take advantage of the man whether he was an angel or not. But in the end, there are always going to be greedy people who would do anything to benefit themselves, even if it means having lack of respect towards one of Gods angels.
This story, in my opinion, shows how quickly people can change their minds, and I would definitely distrust everything. It's funny how the villagers, who had expected the angel to perform miracles and were disappointed by him, swiftly turn against him when a greater creature appears. The text examines how, when society is easily dissatisfied with something, individuals respond to those who are powerless, dependent, and different-usually in a disturbing, cruel way.
This story truly showed how quick people are to jump to negative conclusions and make judgment towards people despite not knowing them. I hated how hostile the people were to something unkown or unfamiliar to them. I thought it was sweet that the old lady kept her mind open because how she is perceived by everyone keeeps it that way. She knows what its like to be different and treated as such. I disliked the ending where the closure was vague.
I think we all want poetic justice for the Angel, but in real life, we don’t always get that. Perhaps Garcia Marquez is forcing the reader to contend with that discomfort.
I know a guy… he reviews all my religious/theological stuff for accuracy. He’s the smartest person I know when it comes to ancient history and religion.
This story in particular was a very upsetting read for me only because it seemed as if it was purposely written to leave readers 'uncomfortable' or faced with the cruel reality of human nature. The idea of alienating a person on no grounds of any basis whatsoever is upsetting because even as a reader, I am left here wondering what I could've done to help change the situation. Yet, at the same time, it's hard for me to form a strong opinion against the way the townspeople treated the old man because I know if I were in the situation I'd have my own formed opinions or biases as well.
What about the students who grew up Atheist? I don't believe in a god. I have no opinions or feelings about the divine or angels. How can I look at this story without religion? I don't relate to this story in any way.
Maybe how cruel humans can be towards people who are not like us or don't fall in our group. The old man could represent this different person that you are not used to, maybe a disabilty, different religion, race, color, illness, disease. The villagers could be society poorly treating these people, just poking at it. The theme would sort of be what not to do rather than a lesson.
Hi! As I mention in the lecture, this story is reminding us not to treat someone cruelly or differently simply because they don’t meet our expectations of what we think they should be. It calls out our tendency to make assumptions, judge, and commodify those who are different from us. Despite discussing divine creatures in the lecture, I still don’t even know that we can say this is a religious story. After all, it’s just the old woman who says it’s an angel. There’s never any real proof.
@reneemartinez5415 1 second ago I read this many years ago and admit that it doesn’t entirely resonate with me. I felt it was a commentary on religion, beginning with the formal catholic institution, but also with the people, the supposed followers of the religion. It shows them as selfish and exploitative. They only seem to engage him for what they can gain - because a true spiritual connection would have been more generous and humane. If it was Devine they should have honored him, but they were willing to do the opposite. So their religion and belief system was ultimately shown as hollow.
I would ask the Angel to name himself. To speak the truth of its purpose. I wouldn't nourish it, but I will call a church for them to handle it. Living in the 21-century there can be a higher chance of government take over of this angel, and trying to be a pure human to save it would cause more harm to myself and family. This story is a great because it allowed me to view the circumstances of what knowledge I have of "Angels". Just because The church describes what an angel looks like, how are we to 100 percent sure it is good. As Marquez stated how with the coming of this fallen angel there are dark days, sick/dead animals, and the sickness of his child. So we must determine if the angel has a good affect on the earth and our lives, rather base the good/badness of its appearance? Determine if Someone/thing that comes into our life is a good thing or a bad thing. helps us or destroy us.
A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings shows how money and benefits can bring out the selfish and evil in people. If there is an advantage to being gruesome, us as humans become the worst. The couple in this story had no problem keeping the old man hostage for their own advantage. The people who came to see the old man never tried to help him either. This just shows how people would pay to see other people's misery.
