A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Group

Question:

ardoni88
ardoni88
Student
College - Sophomore

In "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings," why are the old man's wings covered with parasites? What do they represent?

Rate question:

Posted by ardoni88 on Sunday February 1, 2009 at 10:08 PM and tagged with a very old man with enormous wings, angel, characters, parasites, symbolism.

Answers:


  1. gbeatty Teacher
    College - Freshman

    eNotes Editor

    As in all questions of representation, interpretation is required here. (There is no single, fixed answer.) However, that said, we can make some pretty solid interpretations. First, the people expect the "angel" to be pure, elevated, and divine. Anyone who has parasites is not. They therefore first function as a sign that the world does not work as the villagers think. Second, if you think of an angel as a representative of divine order, parasites show there's chaos and decay. (God's not in charge any more.) Third and related, they show weakness.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/very-old/themes

    Rate answer:

    Posted by gbeatty on Monday February 2, 2009 at 11:19 AM

  2. mimster326
    mimster326 Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    Pelayo and Elisenda are pretty parasitic. If everyone who the angel tries to help treats him in this manner, no wonder he is a mess.

    Rate answer:

    Posted by mimster326 on Tuesday November 10, 2009 at 12:42 PM