A Crab, a Spider, and the Noisy Stars Above: An Analysis of the Magical Absurdity in Marquez's 'A Very Old Man with Huge Wings'Say No to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay A multitude of literary devices can ultimately influence the interpretation of a literary work one way or the other. Authors use symbols, gaps, patterns, and knots to dilute or emphasize a grandiose—or sometimes less grandiose—message so that the reader can internalize it and seek its meaning. The interpretation of these meanings, however, relies on strong subjectivity on the part of the reader and often varies from one critical analysis to another, particularly when examining a text from a formalist perspective. Gabriel Garcia Marquez's short story, "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings," illustrates the imprecise science behind textual analysis by distorting the separations between the supernatural and the conventions of human experience. Marquez links the realms of magic and the physical universe in such a way that the characters and the reader must struggle to decipher the meanings that circumscribe the juxtaposed reality within the story. From a formalist point of view, Marquez summons dramatic images of the grotesque, exercises irony and juxtaposition, and questions the credentials of humanity to make "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" a parody of the process of literary interpretation. Frances K Barasch defines the grotesque as a moment, or recurrence of moments, manifested in an image or series of images that gives rise to an inherent conflict between disgust and humor (4). These images, generally characterized by “ridiculous-horror”, leave the reader torn between laughter and disgust (5). Marquez clearly frames his narrative in this way, and examples of the grotesque and ridiculous appear regularly throughout the text, often simultaneously. The contrast makes it difficult for the reader to elicit meaning. For example, Marquez does not grant the old man the obvious and expected “angelic” characteristics. Rather than endow his angel with the iconic qualities of youth, majesty, or heraldry, Marquez introduces a complete abomination with dirty, half-ripped "buzzard wings" and an inability to overcome the force of the rain (Barnet et al 177). Additionally, Pelayo and Elisenda demonstrate their own grotesque behavior by locking the old man with the poultry in their henhouse. This too is unexpected and gives the story a side of both horror and humor. Marquez recognizes the absurdity of his angel's condition, allowing his narrator to comment that the angel is not "a supernatural creature but a circus animal" (177). The angel, however, is not the only grotesque image provided by Marquez. The woman who changes from human to spider is equally torn between the revolting and the ridiculous, again appearing as a parody and ultimately relegated to the status of a “carnival attraction” (179). It is these contrasting paradigms of light and darkness that Marquez evokes to confuse the reader, thereby creating a farce not only within the confines of the text, but also within the intrinsic processes of textual interpretation. Much like the vacillating inclusion of the absurd and the grotesque, the images, characters, and behaviors exhibited in “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” often result in verbal or contextual irony. Marquez frequently uses these different forms of irony to reorient the interpretation of the text. Elisenda and her husband, for example, fail to make the initial connection withthe supernatural and, instead, determine that the strange visitor is an old sailor. Considering that Elisenda's name derives from the root of the name Elizabeth, which translates to "consecrated to God," it is strange that she fails to see the truth, instead yielding the epiphany to one of her neighbors (Kenyon 343). Additionally, Father Gonzaga, the town's spiritual expert – suspends judgment on the man's identity. The community, for its part, trusts the words of the old woman, lighting the sacramental candles and watching over the henhouse. In addition, Marquez is ironic about the “miracles of consolation” attributed to the presence of the angel. None of the miracles actually heal the afflicted, and the arrival of the spider-woman abomination essentially "ruined the angel's reputation" (Barnet et al. 179). The way Marquez repeatedly devalues ​​the iconographic significance or potential of the angel becomes laughable; therefore its great symbol is essentially lame. Moreover, his characters find the story of the spider woman, "a spectacle... full of so much human truth..." more credible than the arrival of an angel, despite the infinite absurdity linked to its origin (179) . Once the Spider-Woman wins the affection of the townspeople, the story successfully juxtaposes human institutions of faith and truth. By degrading the evangelical symbols present in the text, Marquez forces the reader to carefully consider the intrinsic value of his own themes, as well as the reader's modalities of response. In addition to his frequent deployment of irony and grotesque imagery, Marquez tests the strength of his characters' credentials and, in doing so, succeeds in forcing the reader to examine their own. In the text, Pelayo and his wife confront their visitor from the perspective of lost convenience. Its appearance in no way prompts either one to evaluate faith, God, or the supernatural. The old man's wings bear no indication of a supernatural or celestial affiliation. However, rather than seeking immediate help from the parish or the village intelligentsia, Pelayo and Elisenda turn to their neighbor, the woman in the cliché "who knew everything about life and death", for consultation. professional (177). She determines that the man is an angel, that he was trying to take the sick child but could not overcome the force of the rain and, therefore, that he cannot be a capricious sailor . This quick conclusion contrasts with Father Gonzaga's pseudo-scientific suspension as to the true nature of this man. Furthermore, the townspeople seem to reject any formal hypothesis, choosing to assign him arbitrary identities such as "mayor of the world" or harbinger of a new "race of winged wise men who could take charge of the universe" (177 ). Yet, despite the great expectations aroused by his sudden appearance, the characters accept his captivity in the henhouse and treat him accordingly. Even Rome's response to Gonzaga failed to elicit any formal edict; conversely, Church officials preoccupy themselves with pseudo-scientific details. Thus, by using the confusion of roles between his characters, Marquez again conceals the meaning of his plot and the interaction between his characters. A formal interpretation of the textual message becomes difficult and further seems to indicate that Marquez deliberately confuses the conventions of social roles, values ​​and mores. The resulting conflict between expected and actual truths in the text hints at a connection in the process of interpretation: the reader must question the credibility of his or her own point of view. Indeed, Marquez offers little leniency to those seeking a finite explanation of “A Very Old Man with., 2008. 176-81.