"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" is a short story written by Gabriel García Márquez in 1955. It is a story that explores the theme of human nature and the way we treat those who are different from us.
The story begins with the arrival of a very old man with enormous wings in a small village. He is found lying in the mud near the beach, and is taken in by a poor couple who live on the outskirts of the village. Despite their poverty, they treat the old man with kindness and care for him as best they can.
However, the rest of the village is not so kind. They are fascinated by the old man and his wings, and they flock to the couple's house to see him. Some people see him as a freak, and others see him as a miracle. But no one knows for sure what he is or where he comes from.
The villagers' curiosity turns into greed and exploitation as they try to make money off of the old man. They charge people to see him and even try to sell him to a circus. The old man is mistreated and humiliated, and his health begins to deteriorate.
As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the old man is not a freak or a miracle, but simply a human being who is different from the rest of the villagers. He is a symbol of the way we treat those who are different from us, and the story serves as a commentary on the way we often fear and mistreat those who are different from us.
Ultimately, the old man's wings serve as a metaphor for the way we often try to label and categorize people, rather than seeing them as individuals with their own unique stories and experiences. The story is a reminder to be kind and understanding towards those who are different from us, and to see them as human beings rather than as objects of curiosity or exploitation.
