Enormous Wings

The purpose of this study is to make a brief analysis of a short story by using the means of literary terms of symbolism. The aim of analyzing this story is to try to figure out how the author used certain elements and figures through the symbolism in order to create a deeper theme in the story. Given these points, revealing the deeper meaning of some symbols used in the story of A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings and figuring out its reflections on the today’s society is going to be covered up.

Despite being born into a conservative Colombian family, the author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez had a quite liberal world view. However, do not let the word for ‘’ liberal ‘’ fool you. Being a liberal citizen in 1950s Colombia is equally means being

It is said that according to the Red Book of socialism, all the current social orders are based on corruption and unfairness which allow authorities to to drain the blood of poor folk and proleteriat’s, like a vampire. As an addition to that, the Red Book also claims that the religion is the greatest opium, which authorities ( which is imperialists by the way ) over the uneducated masses to keep them in sleep.

Given all these points, now it could become easier for the reader to understand the certain symbols hidden around the story of Enormous Wings. As it has been mentioned the author’s ( Marquez ) socioalistic side, the all knowing old crone ( women ) represents uneducated folk. Father Gonzaga ( let say the Church ) plays the role of opium for the authorities in order to keep the masses in sleep. Spider women depict the power of superstition over the folk again. Soldiers represent the authorities. Lastly, the very old man with enormous wings represents the ‘’ hope ‘’ for the Colombian

Marquez once mentions that the old man had a accent like a sailor or something. So, consedering this, the winged old man should be the Russians, in the other mean: the socialists. Because crossing the sea is the only way to reach Colombia. At the same time, Colombia is located northern part of the South America continent and that makes it very close to the USA, which is center of capitalism. So that makes Colombia to deeply feel the heavy pressure of capitalistic and imperial ideas reflects from US. So, based on this brief information, Marquez must have been thought that the only way for Colombian society to avoid damages from gigantic USA’s hoggish capitalistic policies is to team up with communist and egalitarianism lover Russians. However, since Russia, the center of communist idelogy is quite far away from continental South America, their help and support would be less of course. That is why Marquez was depicted main his mysterious character as an old and injured man at the beginning of the story. Be that as it may, the uneducated folk did not epiphanied the truth that winged old man actually brought and turned him into a entertainment and beneficial object. Seeing all these bad treatments, the old man waited for the best time to leave the shores and disappear. Identically, winged old man’s departure represents the failure of the communist