Running head: LITERARY ANALYSIS 1 Literary Analysis of a Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Dominique Gilmore Ashford University Instructor: Stephen Rogers Date: 28 Feb 2017 - 1 - 1 1. Literary Analysis of a Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Dominique Gilmore Ashford University Instructor: Stephen Rogers Date: 28 Feb 2017 This page is perfectly done! [Stephen Rogers] LITERARY ANALYSIS 2 Very Old Man with Enormous Wings In some stories, characters come into conflict with the culture in which they live. Often, a character feels alienated in his/her community or society due to race, gender, class or ethnic background. In “A very old man with enormous wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the author weaves human beings with supernatural abilities that are depicted in an unexpected twist yet exciting way. One is left asking themselves how they would have responded if they were to be confronted with a supernatural being. A creative tone and a unique style are used by Marquez to create the narrative. He blends the prosaic and repugnant parts of life extraordinarily. The elements are used to create a story that conveys the everyday lives, yet repudiate it. The narrative invites the reader to have a close view of the events that unfold in their lives and actuate how they respond to the prosaic they face. The story is an inspiration for people always to take another glance at the unordinary events that sometimes may mean something deeper. The tale is an exhibition that the blending of mundane with extraordinariness could make a difference to life when people look at them from the right angle. The tone used by Marquez at the beginning of the story is natural and unwelcoming for the occurrence that follows after that. That is; a sick child in the midst of a drab and inclement weather (Marquez, 2004). The first sentences indicate a writing style that grabs the imaginations of Marquez. He writes that the globe had been unhappy since Tuesday (Marquez, 2004) which brings in an extraordinary element by introducing a dreamlike character of a senior man with large wings. However, he immediately smashes any mindset that the reader has a powerful and - 2 - 1 2 3 1. The narrative invites the reader to have a close view of the events that unfold in their lives and actuate how they respond to the prosaic they face. Great use of the active voice here! The passive voice is not as appealing to the reader as the active voice. Active voice sentences place the subject doing the work, and they are appealing to your reader quickly indicating to them the action happening. Sometimes we have to use the passive voice. For example, if we do not know who robbed the liquor store, we might say, "The store was robbed." However, we could make this one an active voice sentence by simply saying, "The criminal robbed the liquor store" which is much better than the passive form. So, do use active v ...

1. Running head: LITERARY ANALYSIS 1
Literary Analysis of a Very Old Man with Enormous Wings
Dominique Gilmore
Ashford University
Instructor: Stephen Rogers
Date: 28 Feb 2017
- 1 -
1
1. Literary Analysis of a
Very Old Man with
Enormous Wings
Dominique Gilmore
Ashford University
Instructor: Stephen Rogers
Date: 28 Feb 2017
This page is perfectly done!

2. [Stephen Rogers]
LITERARY ANALYSIS 2
Very Old Man with Enormous Wings
In some stories, characters come into conflict with the culture in
which they live. Often, a
character feels alienated in his/her community or society due to
race, gender, class or ethnic
background. In “A very old man with enormous wings” by
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the author
weaves human beings with supernatural abilities that are
depicted in an unexpected twist yet
exciting way. One is left asking themselves how they would
have responded if they were to be
confronted with a supernatural being.
A creative tone and a unique style are used by Marquez to
create the narrative. He blends
the prosaic and repugnant parts of life extraordinarily. The
elements are used to create a story
that conveys the everyday lives, yet repudiate it. The narrative
invites the reader to have a close
view of the events that unfold in their lives and actuate how
they respond to the prosaic they

3. face. The story is an inspiration for people always to take
another glance at the unordinary events
that sometimes may mean something deeper. The tale is an
exhibition that the blending of
mundane with extraordinariness could make a difference to life
when people look at them from
the right angle.
The tone used by Marquez at the beginning of the story is
natural and unwelcoming for
the occurrence that follows after that. That is; a sick child in the
midst of a drab and inclement
weather (Marquez, 2004). The first sentences indicate a writing
style that grabs the imaginations
of Marquez. He writes that the globe had been unhappy since
Tuesday (Marquez, 2004) which
brings in an extraordinary element by introducing a dreamlike
character of a senior man with
large wings. However, he immediately smashes any mindset that
the reader has a powerful and
- 2 -
1
2

4. 3
1. The narrative invites the
reader to have a close
view of the events that
unfold in their lives and
actuate how they respond
to the prosaic they
face.
Great use of the active voice
here! The passive voice is not
as appealing to the reader as
the active voice. Active voice
sentences place the subject
doing the work, and they are
appealing to your reader
quickly indicating to them the
action happening. Sometimes
we have to use the passive

5. voice. For example, if we do
not know who robbed the
liquor store, we might say,
"The store was robbed."
However, we could make this
one an active voice sentence
by simply saying, "The
criminal robbed the liquor
store" which is much better
than the passive form. So, do
use active voice sentences as
much as you can for stronger
writing. [Stephen Rogers]
2. it.
Words such as "there is" or "It
is" or words such as "This,
that, these, those" are
useless in meaning and are

6. just filler. To provide stronger
writing, define what those
words are. Doing so gives
you a clearer piece for your
readers and you get to "beef-
up" your word count.
[Stephen Rogers]
3. That is; a sick child in the
midst of a drab and
inclement
weather
Try reading your essay out
loud. This technique can help
you to eliminate awkward
phrasing, repetition, and other
errors. For additional
assistance, use the
Grammarly tool. Visit the

7. 'Writing Center & Library' link
in your course where you will
find the Grammar Help tab.
Use the directions found
there. [Stephen Rogers]
LITERARY ANALYSIS 3
holy angels by keeping the old man facing downwards towards
the mud and not in a position to
disencumber himself by writing, “impeded by his enormous
wings” Marquez, 2004). In another
part of the story, Marquez conveys a tone that has a sense of
regret that humankind does not
acknowledge the power that exists as part of our lives. Rather
than acknowledging an experience
and having a full life, humanity tends to have the view of what
is in for them. When a couple,
Elisenda and Pelayo decide to have onlookers pay to see him
just to exploit the angle (Marquez,
2004) depicts a sense of selfishness and greediness. The part of
the story gives the reader a
chance to reflect and imagine what would happen if they were

8. faced with a similar scenario.
With an impression of irony, the reader is told that each object
that should have
empowered the old man to fly above elements, that is, his
wings, are the ones that hindered him
and the cause of the attention he was getting. The irony is
entwined through the narrative as one
can view it in the woman who was wise enough (Marquez,
2004) to determine the elderly man
with wings to be an angel and proposed beating him until he
dies. The concept is also seen in the
wording of Marquez when he chooses to indicate that the
husband and the wife felt as if they
were unstinting when they decided to put the angel adrift on a
raft that has food that would keep
him going for a couple of days and abandon him to his destiny
at the seas.
Marquez’s story also depicts a judgmental society. Although
having a different
perspective is inevitable in many societies, it does not have to
be at all times and in all situations.
Despite the old man being seen as an angel, he does not possess
the qualities of an angel.
Marquez (2004) indicates that there were only some few hairs

9. which are faded left on his bald
skull and countable teeth. There was nothing about the old man
that measured to the appearance
of an angel. The most skeptical person was Father Gonzaga who
was the town’s voice. The
- 3 -
1
2
3
1. When a couple,
Elisenda and Pelayo decide
to have onlookers pay to
see him just to exploit the
angle (Marquez, 2004)
depicts a sense of
selfishness and greediness.
Too much retelling of the
story is not what is best in a
literary analysis. The majority

10. of your essay must be your
thoughts words and ideas.
And so far, I am seeing some
wonderful possibilities and
examples of this in your
narrative. Sure. You must use
source material to support
your assertions and ideas, but
more research and thought
can help you take those
original thoughts and go even
deeper in meaning for your
reader. [Stephen Rogers]
2. The irony is entwined
through the narrative as
one can view it in the
woman who was wise
enough (Marquez, 2004) to

11. determine the elderly man
with wings to be an angel
and proposed beating him
until he dies.
This is a good sentence! The
wording flows smoothly and
clearly. More importantly, the
sentence is simple and clear.
I tell students that just
because they are in college,
they are not necessarily
required to use fancy words
to show they are smart.
Here's the advice I can give
you: "I would rather see
sentences that are simple and
clear than sentences that are
complex and confusing."

12. Good work! Thanks.
[Stephen Rogers]
3. Marquez’s story also
depicts a judgmental
society. Although having a
different
perspective is inevitable in
many societies, it does not
have to be at all times and
in all situations.
You have made an insightful
analysis of the subject. Being
able to analyze material in a
critical manner helps enhance
your ideas and lends
credibility to you as a writer.
Nice job! [Stephen Rogers]

13. LITERARY ANALYSIS 4
people reactions showed a lack of empathy and solidarity thus
depicting a judgmental
community.
In a unique way, Marquez represents an inconsistency in faith
by individuals. Devotees
claim they have faith, but when it comes to the practical part of
it, they fall short. Then he
noticed he was too much human (Marquez, 2004). When a
magical creature appears, the people
lose interest in the senior man as the spider woman can explain
his transformations.
However, at the end of the narrative, Marquez leaves the reader
with some questions in
mind. How many times do people look up for a moment, see a
magical thing and walk away?
How frequently do people face something amazing and fail to
see what it is because of failing to
have perspectives? Magical realism in the narrative invites the
reader to answer the questions by
entering a place of imagination, mystery and look into own
views and actions as a way of
measuring the components of everyday life.

14. - 4 -
1
2
1. However, at the end of
the narrative, Marquez
leaves the reader with some
questions in mind.
Here is a good place for your
opinion of the story: the
conclusion. Try to summarize
what you have said and try to
connect or "tie-in" your thesis
with the conclusion. Again, do
take a look at the sample
literary analysis and you will
see what you can do to make
a much better conclusion or
at least enhance the

15. conclusion you have
provided. [Stephen Rogers]
2. How many times do
people look up for a
moment, see a magical
thing and walk away?
How frequently do people
face something amazing
and fail to see what it is
because of failing to have
perspectives?
These are all good questions.
Your answer to them from
your thought and research will
provide you with an in-depth
discussion of your thesis as
well as engage your reader's
interest. Also, the answers to

16. your questions can be a
thesis statement as well as
help you further your
discussion for your reader.
[Stephen Rogers]
LITERARY ANALYSIS 5
Reference
Garcia'Marrquez, G. (2004). _ A Very Old Man with Enormous
Wings.
- 5 -
1
1. Reference
Please see an APA formatted
references page in the Writing
Center. We connect our in-
text citations to the references
page. From there, a reader
can then check your source

17. material for accuracy or to
read further about what
interests them. Also, in order
to avoid any plagiarism
issues, the references page
must be done correctly.
Finally, do check the material
in the classroom and the AU
Writing Center for help with
this page. [Stephen Rogers]
ENG125: Introduction to Literature
List of Literary Techniques
Technique Description
Allusion
A reference to a recognized literary work, person, historic

18. event, artistic achievement, etc. that enhances the
meaning of a detail in a literary work.
Climax
The crisis or high point of tension that becomes the story’s
turning point—the point at which the outcome of the
conflict is determined.
Conflict The struggle that shapes the plot in a story.
Dramatic irony
When the reader or audience knows more about the
action than the character involved.
Epiphany
A profound and sudden personal discovery.
Exposition
Setting and essential background information presented at
the beginning of a story or play.
Falling action

19. A reduction in intensity following the climax in a story or
play, allowing the various complications to be worked out.
Fate
An outside source that determines human events.
Figurative language
Language used in a non-literal way to convey images and
ideas.
Figures of speech
The main tools of figurative language; include similes and
metaphors..
First-person point of view
Occurs when the narrator is a character in the story and
tells the story from his or her perspective.
Flashback
The description of an event that occurred prior to the
action in the story.
Foreshadowing
A technique a writer uses to hint or suggest what the

20. outcome of an important conflict or situation in a narrative
ENG125: Introduction to Literature
will be.
Imagery
A distinct representation of something that can be
experienced and understood through the senses (sight,
hearing, touch, smell, and taste), or the representation of
an idea.
Irony
A contradiction in words or actions. There are three types
of irony: verbal, situational, and dramatic.
Limited omniscient point of
view
Occurs when a narrator has access to the thoughts and
feelings of only one character in a story.

21. Metaphor
A figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made
between one object and another that is different from it.
Objective point of view
A detached point of view, evident when an external
narrator does not enter into the mind of any character in a
story but takes an objective stance, often to create a
dramatic effect.
Omniscient point of view
An all-knowing point of view, evident when an external
narrator has access to the thoughts and feelings of all the
characters in a story.
Persona
Literally, in Latin, “a mask.”
Plot
A connecting element in fiction; a sequence of interrelated,

22. conflicting actions and events that typically build to a
climax and bring about a resolution
Point of view
The perspective of the narrator who will present the action
to the reader.
Resolution The outcome of the action in a story or play.
Rising action
Conflicts and circumstances that build to a high point of
tension in a story or play.
ENG125: Introduction to Literature
Situational irony
When the outcome in a situation is the opposite of what is
expected.
Simile
A figure of speech that compares two objects or ideas that
are not ordinarily considered to be similar, linked by using
like or as.

23. Song
A lyrical musical expression, a source of emotional outlet
common in ancient communities and still influential in
contemporary culture.
Symbol
An object, person, or action that conveys two meanings: its
literal meaning and something it stands for.
Third-person point of view
Occurs when the narrator tells the story using third-person
pronouns (he, she, they) to refer to the characters.
Tone
In a literary work, the speaker’s attitude toward the reader
or the subject.
Verbal irony
When words are used to convey a meaning that is opposite
of their literal meaning.
In this assignment, you will refine that thesis and essay even

24. further and develop your argument. You are required to
incorporate your instructor’s feedback in your Final Paper and
to take peer feedback into consideration.
In your paper,
· Create a detailed introduction that contains a thesis that offers
a debatable claim based on one of the prompts on the list.
· Apply critical thought by analyzing the primary source you
selected from the approved List of Literary Works. Avoid
summary and personal reflection. (I already chose, A Very Old
Man with Enormous Wings)
· Develop body paragraphs that contain clear topic sentences
and examples that support the argument.
· Write a conclusion that reaffirms the thesis statement and
includes a summary of the key ideas in essay.
· Apply your knowledge of literary elements and other concepts
in your response to the prompt. Reference the list of literary
elements found in Week Two of the course and discussion
forums. (I have also attached the list of literary elements for
you)
· Incorporate research from the primary and secondary sources.