In Karl Marx's The Communist Manifesto, he argues, "The bourgeoisie has torn away from the
family its sentimental veil, and has reduced the family relation into a mere
money relation," while Jordan Abrams and Angelica Castro mention, "[t]he roots of magical realism are cemented in Latin American culture taking place primarily in the mid-20th century, and was used to criticize the class and social system during the time" (online).
After reading Marquez's "The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings," in what ways does the text address or criticize class and social systems, as well as the idea of family as a social system?
What possible lessons, themes, and/or social commentary emerge from the short story?
In what ways does Marquez's short story connect to Karl Marx's argument about family in the The Communist Manifesto?
In the short story, "The Very Old Man With Enormous Wings," a lesson is not to judge a book by its cover. The old man was an angel, but barely looked like one, and he couldn't or didn't cure the diseased. The only thing he did was get a poor family rich. Soon after the story starts, he is used to attract tourists and make money, even though he gets none. The old man is clearly a proletariat and is serving the bourgeoisie and isn't getting any pay, or respect for it. It is only when the angel flies away is when he is implied to be far away from the people who used.
ReplyDeleteIn the short story the angel is a foreigner, and therefore immediately placed in the lower class. This parallels to how a lot of those lower class in the United States are recent immigrants. This also connects to the xenophobia that is engraved in our society. Additionally, the angel could be a parallel to refugees, since he was physically suffering (as many refugees are injured or malnourished). They also initially judged him based on his exterior, similar to how the lower class can be deemed "dangerous" simply because they're dirty or have to live on the streets. Also how the "Upper class" (the family) made all the decisions for him, and don't ask what he wants. In a way this relates to how politicians (upper class) make all th decisions for the lower class, without listening to what they truly need or getting their input.
ReplyDeleteIn "The Very Old Man With Enormous Wings", the angel's character is a parallel to a person in the lower class, or proletariat. The family that dictates the angel's life and choices is parallel to people of the upper class, or the bourgeoisie. The story brings to light the unfair treatment of people who are treated similarly to the angel, simply because of their social stature. It also attempts to teach a lesson of fairness and equality, which doubles as a critique of the class system, all in a very Marxist fashion.
ReplyDeleteMarquez's short story, "The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings," a foreign angel, ratty and torn, lands on someone's property is treated with disrespect and shown off for the property owner's capital benefit. He is paraded around like a circus show, and the property owner family makes a profit. They soon live a more luxurious life, with fine shoes, silk, and remodel their home. This parallels to the proletariat working for the bourgeoisie, perhaps in factories, while their labor is overlooked. Factory owners overcharged on goods, keeping the extra profit. Similar to the angel staying on the family's property, working class laborer occupy space at a middle class owned factory. Towards the end of the story, the Angel becomes stronger and flies away from the family, mirroring Marx's belief that the proletariat will rise up and defeat the bourgeoisie's capitalist ideals and harsh treatment. Overall, the text criticizes the upper classes' poor treatment of the lower classes, and how one's appearance and differences make them subordinate to others.
ReplyDeleteIn Marquez’s short story “The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings,” the text addresses and criticizes classes and social systems through the harsh and cruel ways Pelayo and his neighbors interact with the winged old man. For example, when the winged man becomes a city-wide “attraction,” the travelers start to torment the winged man by throwing stones and him and burning his sides with an iron. They harm the winged man in order to see him stand up so they can fully examine and observe his wings. These actions demonstrate the twistedness of this destructive social system through showing how damaging and tormenting an innocent person can unify and pleasure society. The winged man’s innocence is gradually stripped from him through Pelayo’s desire for valuable income for his and his family’s well-being.
ReplyDeleteThe Marxist theory that once the proletariat come into power and suppress the bourgeoisie, a classless society would emerge is shown at the end of the text. Once the winged man (proletariat) rises above Pelayo and the travelers (bourgeoisie) by flying above and away from them, a classless society emerges and everything goes back to how it was before the winged man had arrived. Marquez’s short story connects to Karl Marx’s argument about family in The Communist Manifesto through showing the parallel between the winged man and the proletariat, and Pelayo and the travelers as the bourgeoisie.
In "The Very Old Man With Enormous Wings," the Angel is analogous to Marx's proletariat while the family who takes advantage of him is the bourgeoisie. Just like the family takes advantage of the Angel and uses him for profit, the bourgeoisie takes advantage of the proletariat to create a profit. The text comments on how quick people are to make a profit and that one should not make judgements based on appearance.
ReplyDeleteIn the text the Angel represents those in society who are exploited because of their differences for someone else's profit. This is very similar to Marx's, proletariat and bourgeoise social system. The Angel is the proletariat, while the family is the bourgeoise. The bourgeoisie uses the proletariat for their own benefit and has no sympathy or compassion for the proletariat (angel) well being. The text commentates how in society people dehumanize others that are placed in an inferior position. The text also commentates on how family sometimes functions perversely to gain profit.
ReplyDeleteIn the text, "The Very Old Man With Enourmous Wings," we see a parallel in the characters in this story to Karl Marx's idea portrayed in," The Communist Manifesto,". The angel is the proletariat which Marx explains is the lower class in the social hierarchy and how the family is the bourgeoise, the rich and high class. The family taking advantage of the angel shows us how the bourgeoise who are privileged and rich can manipulate the proletariat who has less power and advantages therefore having some vulnerability. this text also supports Karl Marx idea of communism, giving up private property so everyone is equal.
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