A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings

Rewrite the story, replacing the realistic elements with more fantastic ones, until the story is only magical. How does it compare to other fantasy stories you have read? What does this say about the power of magical realism?

Both the old neighbor woman and Father Gonzaga present themselves as “experts” on the matter of the angel. Compare their depiction and behavior. What gives them this authority? How is it upheld?

Think about the context of the story’s publication—1960s Latin America. How might the story be modernized? How would this change its meaning?

Choose a character who either sought a cure from the angel or who was a victim of his “consolation miracles”; write their story in the genre of magical realism. How does humor add to the story’s power? How is this balanced with realism?

How might the story be different if the old man with enormous wings had been a woman? What new implications would the community’s treatment of the angel hold?

How does the story describe the old man’s appearance? What does this imply about his status as an angel?

What role does the spider woman play in the story?

Compare “A Very Old Man” to the fairytale “The Fisherman and His Wife,” which follows a similar series of events. How does each story’s genre contribute to its meaning?