Characteristics of Magical Realism in A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Márqez The controversy over magical realism makes it very difficult to classify what it is and what it is not it's magical realism. Gabriel Garcia Márquez, a famous Latin American author, has written many pieces of what is generally conceived of as Magical Realism. Marqez's "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" meets all the hallmarks of magical realism. “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” includes many aspects that can be described as magical. In the story, an old man with a pair of very bad wings is found and kept as a pet for several years. These wings were described by the doctor in the story as "...so natural on that thoroughly human organism that he could not understand why other men did not have them too" (528). The fact that the old man had wings seems very acceptable to the characters, and this nonchalance is conveyed to the reader. Marquez also adds the story of the spider lady to the story. The spider lady has the body of a tarantula and the head of a young girl. She was transformed into this state after sneaking out of her parents' house to attend a dance. Witches, wizards and spells are not used to transform her, but simply lightning. The spider lady takes away the crowds of onlookers from the old man leaving him more ordinary as he is still around even after his fifteen minutes of fame have passed. Another example of magic is the overabundance of crabs. An infestation that can be accepted quite easily. However, a crab infestation so severe that the stench alone makes the child seriously ill is much more unrealistic. Even the use of numbers seems magical in a way. The story takes place on the third day of r...... middle of paper ......sailor who remembers his past as a human being and is adapting to his destiny as an angel. The angel makes many mistakes with his miracles. However, his host family, although treating him as inferior, has a twist of fate due to his existence. The angel brings them wealth when they ask for entry to see him. For this family of three, life takes a better turn after giving the old man a chicken coop to sleep in. Marquez's "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" meets all the hallmarks of magical realism. His tale contains magic that exists in a realistic backdrop. One can easily understand why Marquez is a pioneer in the field of magical realism. Works Cited Garcia Marqez, Gabriel: "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings." The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ed. Girolamo Beaty. NY: WWNorton and Company, 1996. 525-529.