Comment on title of the story "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings."

The title of Gabriel García Márquez’ short story “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings: A Tale for Children” immediately gives the reader an idea of the story’s genre. Magical realism is a genre which Gabriel García Márquez and other Latin American authors are known for. This type of story weaves realism with elements of magical fantasy. From the title, the reader immediately questions the existence of a human possessing very large appendages that make him a winged creature. In addition, the reader wonders how the story is designed to be a “tale for children,” and is alerted to read the story with “childlike” inquisitiveness. The title of the story creates more questions than the story provides answers for. Who is the winged man described in the title, and why is the story for children? Reading this story may leave you wondering and fantasizing.

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