A VERY OLD MAN WITH ENORMOUS WINGS - SSLC English - Std 10 - Notes
a. Why does the sight of the old man frighten Pelayo?
Pelayo is frightened because the old man looks strange and unnatural — he has enormous, filthy wings and appears to be neither fully human nor something else entirely. His appearance is grotesque and mysterious, so Pelayo reacts with fear, thinking he might be a supernatural being, perhaps even a bad omen or an angel of death.
b. Why was the old man unable to get up?
The old man was unable to get up because he was weak, filthy, and exhausted. He had fallen face down in the mud, soaked by the rain, and his wings were caked with dirt and parasites, making it difficult for him to move. His physical condition suggests great suffering and frailty rather than power.
c. Why do the couple consider the old man a ‘lonely castaway’?
Pelayo and Elisenda think the old man is a lonely castaway because, apart from his wings, he seems completely human. He speaks an unknown language, looks dirty and frail, and seems to have come from the sea after the storm — so they assume he might be a foreign sailor who was shipwrecked and washed ashore.
d. Why was the neighbour woman sure that the old man was an angel?
The neighbour woman insists he is an angel because of his enormous wings. She claims that angels sometimes come to take souls away, and she interprets his arrival as a supernatural event — especially since he appeared after the storm and near Pelayo’s sick child.
e. Why did Pelayo arm himself with a club?
Pelayo armed himself with a club because he was frightened of the old man. The old man’s strange, winged appearance made him think the being might be dangerous or evil, so he wanted to protect himself and his family.
f. What made the couple suddenly decide to treat the man with some ‘kindness’?
They decided to treat him with some kindness when they realized their sick child suddenly got better after the old man appeared. They took it as a sign that he might have brought a blessing or had some divine power, so they stopped being cruel and gave him a little food and shelter.
g. Why does Pelayo lock the old man in the chicken coop?
Pelayo locks the old man in the chicken coop because he doesn’t know what else to do with him and wants to keep him away from the house. He is still afraid of the old man but also wants to keep him confined where people can see him safely.
h. Why do the people treat the old man like a ‘circus animal’?
The people treat the old man like a circus animal because they come to stare at him out of curiosity, pay money to see him, and make fun of him instead of showing compassion. They see him as a spectacle or sideshow, not as a suffering being who deserves respect.
i. Do you think Elisenda is shrewd and clever? Why?
Yes, Elisenda is shrewd and clever because she quickly realizes they can make money from the old man. She begins charging people admission to see him, turning his presence into a profitable business. Her practical, opportunistic nature helps the family become rich, even though it shows her selfishness and lack of compassion.
j. “His only supernatural virtue seemed to be patience.” Why does the author say so?
The author says this because, despite all the mistreatment and mockery, the old man never gets angry or fights back. He endures everything silently — the heat, the cold, the people’s cruelty — with calm acceptance. His patience seems otherworldly, as if it is his only real miracle or divine quality.
k. Why do more people flock to see the woman rather than the old man?
More people go to see the woman who was changed into a spider because her story is easier to understand and exciting. She openly tells her tale of disobeying her parents and being punished by God, which fascinates the crowd. The old man, on the other hand, remains mysterious, silent, and hard to explain — so people lose interest in him.
l. Why is the doctor surprised by the ‘logic’ of the wings?
The doctor is surprised by the “logic” of the wings because, when he examines the old man, he finds that the wings seem completely natural — not like an abnormal growth or a deformity. They fit his body perfectly, with bones and joints just like any other part of a human anatomy. This astonishes the doctor, since he expected them to be unnatural or impossible, yet they make strange biological sense.
In other words, he is amazed that something so extraordinary could still follow the natural logic of a living being.
m. Why does Elisenda let out a sigh of relief?
Elisenda lets out a sigh of relief when the old man finally spreads his wings and flies away. She feels relieved because his presence had become a burden — she had grown tired of caring for him, cleaning up after the crowds, and living with the constant nuisance of this strange, pitiful being.
His departure means that her home and life can finally return to normal, free from the noise, curiosity seekers, and the uncomfortable reminder of the mysterious and divine.
b. Why was the old man unable to get up?
c. Why do the couple consider the old man a ‘lonely castaway’?
Pelayo and Elisenda think the old man is a lonely castaway because, apart from his wings, he seems completely human. He speaks an unknown language, looks dirty and frail, and seems to have come from the sea after the storm — so they assume he might be a foreign sailor who was shipwrecked and washed ashore.
d. Why was the neighbour woman sure that the old man was an angel?
The neighbour woman insists he is an angel because of his enormous wings. She claims that angels sometimes come to take souls away, and she interprets his arrival as a supernatural event — especially since he appeared after the storm and near Pelayo’s sick child.
e. Why did Pelayo arm himself with a club?
Pelayo armed himself with a club because he was frightened of the old man. The old man’s strange, winged appearance made him think the being might be dangerous or evil, so he wanted to protect himself and his family.
f. What made the couple suddenly decide to treat the man with some ‘kindness’?
They decided to treat him with some kindness when they realized their sick child suddenly got better after the old man appeared. They took it as a sign that he might have brought a blessing or had some divine power, so they stopped being cruel and gave him a little food and shelter.
g. Why does Pelayo lock the old man in the chicken coop?
Pelayo locks the old man in the chicken coop because he doesn’t know what else to do with him and wants to keep him away from the house. He is still afraid of the old man but also wants to keep him confined where people can see him safely.
h. Why do the people treat the old man like a ‘circus animal’?
i. Do you think Elisenda is shrewd and clever? Why?
Yes, Elisenda is shrewd and clever because she quickly realizes they can make money from the old man. She begins charging people admission to see him, turning his presence into a profitable business. Her practical, opportunistic nature helps the family become rich, even though it shows her selfishness and lack of compassion.
j. “His only supernatural virtue seemed to be patience.” Why does the author say so?
The author says this because, despite all the mistreatment and mockery, the old man never gets angry or fights back. He endures everything silently — the heat, the cold, the people’s cruelty — with calm acceptance. His patience seems otherworldly, as if it is his only real miracle or divine quality.
k. Why do more people flock to see the woman rather than the old man?
l. Why is the doctor surprised by the ‘logic’ of the wings?
The doctor is surprised by the “logic” of the wings because, when he examines the old man, he finds that the wings seem completely natural — not like an abnormal growth or a deformity. They fit his body perfectly, with bones and joints just like any other part of a human anatomy. This astonishes the doctor, since he expected them to be unnatural or impossible, yet they make strange biological sense.
m. Why does Elisenda let out a sigh of relief?
Elisenda lets out a sigh of relief when the old man finally spreads his wings and flies away. She feels relieved because his presence had become a burden — she had grown tired of caring for him, cleaning up after the crowds, and living with the constant nuisance of this strange, pitiful being.
Activity
1. What is the old man’s role in the story? How does his presence affect Pelayo’s family?
The old man serves as a symbol of mystery, faith, and human indifference. His presence forces Pelayo and Elisenda — and the villagers — to confront their beliefs about miracles, compassion, and the divine. For Pelayo’s family, his arrival first brings fear and confusion, but later becomes a source of wealth and comfort when they start charging people to see him. Ultimately, his presence transforms their lives materially but not spiritually — they grow rich but remain selfish and unkind.
2. Mention any two traits of the old man that impress you.
Patience: Despite being mocked, caged, and mistreated, the old man never complains or resists.
Endurance / Dignity: He quietly suffers humiliation and hardship without losing his calm or humanity, showing quiet strength and grace.
3. What elements of the story do you consider magical? Why?
The story blends everyday life with the magical and mysterious, a hallmark of magical realism. Examples include:
The old man’s enormous wings, which seem both natural and supernatural.
The woman turned into a spider, whose strange condition is treated as ordinary.
These magical elements highlight how the miraculous can exist within the mundane, revealing human reactions to the unknown — disbelief, greed, and curiosity.
4. Describe the old man’s first clumsy attempts at flight.
When the old man finally tries to fly away, his attempt is awkward and ungraceful. He flaps his large, tattered wings with great effort, barely managing to rise. His flight is weak and uncertain at first — like that of a sick, tired bird — but slowly he gains strength and disappears beyond the horizon. It is both a sad and liberating moment, symbolizing freedom after long suffering.
5. What happens to the old man’s popularity in the course of time?
At first, the old man is a local sensation — crowds come from everywhere to see him, believing him to be an angel. However, his popularity fades once the woman turned into a spider appears, because her story is more exciting and easy to understand. The villagers lose interest in the old man, and he becomes a forgotten curiosity, living quietly in the chicken coop until he eventually flies away.
1. Character Sketches
The Old Man
The old man is a mysterious figure with enormous, filthy wings who appears in Pelayo’s courtyard after a storm. He seems both human and otherworldly — weak, frail, and unclean, yet possessing an air of quiet dignity. He never complains despite being caged, mocked, and exploited. His patience, endurance, and silence make him a symbol of suffering and grace. Through him, Gabriel García Márquez shows how humans often fail to recognize or respect the divine when it appears in ordinary form.
Pelayo
Pelayo is an ordinary man who lives a simple life with his wife, Elisenda. At first, he is frightened by the old man, thinking he might be a supernatural being. But soon, he becomes practical and opportunistic, confining the old man and charging people to see him. While he benefits financially from the situation, Pelayo remains spiritually unchanged. He represents human weakness — fear, greed, and the tendency to exploit what cannot be understood.
Elisenda
Elisenda is a shrewd and practical woman. She quickly realizes that the old man’s presence can bring profit and convinces Pelayo to charge visitors. Though she gains wealth and comfort, she feels burdened by the chaos surrounding the old man and longs for normal life. When he finally flies away, she sighs with relief. Elisenda symbolizes human self-interest and emotional detachment, showing how people can value wealth over wonder.
2. Newspaper Report
Headline:
Mystery in Coastal Village: Winged Old Man Found in Pelayo’s Courtyard
By Our Special Correspondent
A strange and astonishing event has occurred in a small coastal village where a local man, Pelayo, discovered an old man with enormous wings in his courtyard after a violent storm. The man, described as frail, filthy, and speaking an unknown language, has become the center of widespread curiosity.
Local residents initially feared him, but a neighbour claimed he was an angel. Soon, people from nearby towns began to arrive to witness the “miracle.” Pelayo and his wife, Elisenda, reportedly built a chicken coop to contain the old man and began charging visitors to see him.
The old man, despite his strange appearance, has shown no signs of hostility. Witnesses describe him as silent and patient, enduring the crowds with calm indifference. While scientists and church officials have yet to provide a clear explanation, many villagers believe his presence is a divine sign.
Authorities are expected to investigate further, though for now, the mysterious visitor continues to live quietly in the couple’s courtyard, drawing pilgrims, tourists, and skeptics alike.
3. Pelayo’s Diary Entry
Date: [10-06-1995]
Tonight, something beyond reason has happened. While clearing crabs from the house after the storm, I found an old man lying face down in the mud — with enormous wings. At first, I was terrified. I thought death itself had come for my sick child.
Elisenda and I didn’t know what to do. He looked so weak and miserable that it was hard to believe he could be dangerous. Yet, there is something unnatural about those wings — they make my skin crawl.
The neighbour woman says he’s an angel, come for our son. But the boy is suddenly getting better, and that confuses me even more. Perhaps this being is a sign of something greater — or maybe just a poor castaway.
We have locked him in the chicken coop for now. People are already coming to see him. Elisenda says we can charge admission — she may be right, for our lives could finally change. Still, I cannot shake the feeling that this old man has brought something strange and powerful into our home. I fear him, pity him, and depend on him all at once.
Comments
Post a Comment
Please share your feedback and questions