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A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings Literary Analysis

Decent Essays

Kindness is something that is rarely found in people or in places. Therefore, all we are really left with is hatred, cruelty, and lots of criticism before we even think about showing anyone any amount of kindness. In “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings” , Gabriel Garcia Marquez shows us how the power of kindness is so strong, that it can even overcome the meanest things.
“Kindness is the quality of state of being kind or an instance of kind behavior.” (Dictionary Page 763) The definition of “Kindness” not many understand. Because to be kind you must truly want to help others. Not just that, but you must be ready to be able to set aside your own needs and be able to put someone else’s instead. If you help someone because it is for your own benefit then that is not considered as kindness, but as selfishness.
This story has a few points where the power of kindness overcomes cruelty. By this it means that no matter what ugly situation gets in the way, kindness will continue to shine. So besides all the bad things this poor old man, from “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings” , had to go through, he …show more content…

“They did not have the heart to club him to death.” (Marquez Pg.1) This, although, may not seem like much, was an act of kindness. Compared to the many people who threw things at this old man, this couple was unable to hurt him. “..and even the most merciful threw stones at him,” ( Marquez Pg.2) The people did this to get some entertainment out of the old man, but since they got nothing in return they decided to continue on with these mean things. But even then the old man continued to maintain still and calm with patience through it all. “His only supernatural virtue seemed to be patience.” (Marquez Pg.2) So here the act of kindness from the couple was that they had mercy on the poor old man unlike the other people from the

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