A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay. 

Scaffolded/Short-Answer Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the play over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. The community in the story would likely have reacted differently if the character with enormous wings had been a woman rather than a man.

• How might the story be different if the old man with enormous wings had been a woman? (topic sentence)
• How does society treat women differently than men—both for better and for worse?
• Why does the author place a man in the role of the character with enormous wings?

2. Márquez provides a detailed description of the old man with enormous wings.

• How does the author describe the old man’s appearance? (topic sentence)
• How do these characterizations imply that the old man with enormous wings is a fallen angel? Why would this matter in the context of the story?
• Conclude with a statement about the implications of the angel’s status and this implication’s relation to a theme or message in the story.

3. In the story, many people travel from afar to see the old man with enormous wings in hopes that he will cure them of their ailments. Select one character to focus on.

• Which character sought a cure from the angel? (topic sentence)
• Why does this character need the angel to help solve their problem? What does this tell us about the character’s relationship with conflict?
• Why would people turn to angels for help?

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Revisit the way the story ends and compare it to similar stories you have read. Does it have a happy ending? Why or why not?

2. How does the author subvert religious fervor to demonstrate the ways in which communities both unite and turn against one another? What larger social commentary does this imply? Use evidence from the text to support your reasoning.

3. Identify and/or research 2 people from real life whose stories parallel that of the old man with enormous wings. What happened to them? How do they parallel this story? What does the author imply about the world in crafting a character that parallels real-world anti-heroes?