Magic Realism, Dogmatism, and Intolerance in García Márquez

Introduction: García Márquez and Magic Realism

Gabriel García Márquez, the celebrated Colombian novelist and short story writer, is renowned for pioneering the literary genre known as magic realism — a mode of fiction in which magical events exist alongside ordinary reality, blurring the boundary between the two. This genre is evident throughout García Márquez's body of work, from his novel 100 Years of Solitude to his short stories, including "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings," which offers a humorous yet truthful depiction of religion and poverty in a small village.

In the story, the arrival of an angel transforms the lives of a couple and their village, giving readers insight into the characterization of the townspeople and allowing several recurring themes to emerge. In this literary work, magical realism is expressed through the presence of an angel whose existence is interspersed with the sad realities of life experienced by the story's characters — among them, adherence to religious dogmatism, conservatism, and poverty.

This paper discusses how García Márquez develops three prevalent themes in the story: (1) the theme of religious dogmatism; (2) conservatism expressed through intolerance toward the differences of others; and (3) the existence of magic within reality — that is, the use of magic realism. Through illustrative examples and passages from the story, this paper argues that "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" depicts the realities of life in human society as García Márquez perceives them: a life motivated by strict adherence to religion, resulting in dogmatism and intolerance, and a life of poverty that blurs the distinction between illusion and reality.

The Theme of Religious Dogmatism

The theme of dogmatism is evident from the very beginning of the story. The use of the angel as the central character illustrates the prevalence of religion in Elisenda and Pelayo's village. Religion becomes explicit when a "neighbor woman who knew everything about life and death" identifies the old man with enormous wings as an angel. Yet despite this identification, the angel becomes a mere spectacle and subject of ridicule rather than respect and reverence. This is because he is portrayed as physically unappealing, as shown in the following description:

"He was dressed like a ragpicker. There were only a few faded hairs left on his bald skull and very few teeth in his mouth, and his pitiful condition of a drenched great-grandfather took away any sense of grandeur he might have had. His huge buzzard wings, dirty and half-plucked, were forever entangled in the mud… he answered in an incomprehensible dialect with a strong sailor's voice… he was a lonely castaway from some foreign ship wrecked by the storm."

This description directly contradicts the popular notion that angels are clean and appear young and innocent. Because the old man does not fit the villagers' stereotype of what an angel should look like, he is denied respect. Instead, he becomes an object of fascination and ridicule, as shown in the passage where the village people are "tossing him things to eat through the openings in the wire as if he weren't a supernatural creature but a circus animal." The village priest, Father Gonzaga, further reinforces this dismissive attitude by declaring the angel an "impostor," citing his dirty and sickly appearance. The almost human appearance of the angel — despite his enormous wings — earns him no reverence from the villagers.

The story thus makes apparent a seemingly predominant belief that all things good and clean embody ideal Christian values. The old man's poor and sickly condition elicits no sympathy from the villagers. It is deeply ironic that although the villagers profess belief in angels and miracles, their disregard for the old man reveals their inhumane treatment of individuals they perceive to be in a worse or lower condition than themselves.

Intolerance Toward Difference

Apart from dogmatism, intolerance toward the differences of others is also a prevalent theme in the story. Elisenda, Pelayo, and the villagers regard the angel as a "mere human"; yet despite his common appearance, there is an apparent dislike for his being different. These differences are more internal than external: the angel, in spite of his humble and decrepit form, displays a remarkable degree of patience — "His only supernatural virtue seemed to be patience" — and a humanity not seen among the human characters, namely the villagers.

This contrast is illustrated most starkly in the incident where the villagers "burned his side with an iron for branding steers." The angel's reaction, "not one of rage but of pain," reveals his good-heartedness and provides a sharp contrast to the villagers' cruelty and appetite for using peculiar beings — such as the angel and the spider woman at the carnival — as objects of ridicule and entertainment. The villagers' intolerance thus extends beyond mere curiosity; it manifests as active cruelty directed at anyone or anything that falls outside their narrow conception of the normal.

Conclusion: Humanity, Selfishness, and Illusion

The themes of dogmatism, intolerance to difference, and magic realism all contribute to the development of the story's characters and plot. Together they form a coherent critique of a community whose stated values — religious faith, communal solidarity, and belief in the miraculous — are consistently undermined by its actual behavior. Furthermore, "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" conveys to its readers the message that humanity is only as good as its aspirations, but when confronted with reality and truth, selfishness and disbelief take over, clouding people's judgment and eroding their good faith toward all things honest and real.

Bibliography

Goodall, K. and E. van Tillburg. "Magical Realism." Available at http://www.pearsoncustom.com/link/humanities/english/literature/marquezgabrielgarcia.html.

Marquez, G.G. E-text of "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings." Available at