from an eager band. “A band began playing “That Bonny Blue Flag” in Lee’s honor.” Lee’s indulgence in the attention and adulation does not end on the battlefield. It spills over to headquarters, where crowds of people gather just to see him. “The American fights for mankind, for freedom; for the people, not the land.” p.30 ‘Many of us came . . . because it was the right thing to do.” p.32 “Its the idea that we all have value, you and me, we’re worth something more than the dirt. What we’re all fighting for in the end is each other.” p.33 “What a piece of work is man . . . in action how like an angel! And the old man, grinning, had scratched his head and then said stiffly “Well, boy, if he’s an angel, he’s sure a murderin’ angel.” p.126
I visualize the man as an example of good that is surrounded by evil, but remains steadfast and unyielding. He could have become outraged, violent or demanding while held captive. If he was an angel, he could have retaliated, but he did not. He did not allow the evil around him to change him, but it’s interesting how the couple’s life was made better by his presence. They and all of the other characters in the book thought first about self-gain and how they could get the most out of the situation. It is striking to me that the author presented the couple and the spectators with such callous attitudes. I believe that he was providing an exaggerated example of how many humans alienate those that are different, older or weak. He man with the enormous wings was used until there was nothing left to take. When the couple believed that he was near death they were not concerned that he would die, but that “not even the wise neighbor woman had been able to tell them what to do with dead angels. (p. 594)”
In the novel it is clear that the soldiers love Lee very much. In one of the chapters, General Longstreet and Armistead are talking about the upcoming battle. The Soldiers respect for Lee is shown when Armistead to General Longstreet says, “His presence is everywhere. They hush when he passes, like an angel of the lord”(63). Admiration
Lastly, the old man, who is an angel, symbolizes Jesus Christ. The old man and Jesus Christ are very much alike. They are both doubted by the people around them even though they had already performed many miracles that no ordinary human can do. They are also both mistreated by people despite of their power. In paragraph 4, “tossing him things to eat through the openings in the wire as if weren’t a supernatural creature but a circus animal”. From this line, we can conclude that the angel was treated like a freak show by the people. The same as Jesus Christ, he was tortured by the soldiers even though it is clear to them that he is a supernatural being.
Despite the mistakes his father and brother made, Lee managed to grow learning the ways of a true Southern gentleman. The departure of his father and two older half-brothers made Lee the man of the house at an early age. His mother, Ann Carter, raised Lee in modest circumstances and helped him to learn standard of conduct. Lee grew up in modest conditions, and though he received the normal education for someone of his class, he had to earn his own living and didn’t live the easy-going plantation life that most members of his family did. Since his mother did not have sufficient cash to send Lee to go to college, he chose instead to enter West Point military and academy. He entered in 1825 at the age of 18. At West Point Lee excelled tremendously. He finished second in his class and didn’t receive one demerit during his four years there (A feat that has yet to be repeated since then). Lee entered Engineer Corps after graduation where he was employed to build and maintain military installations and assist the Federal Government in the enormous work of providing internal improvements in order to settle border disputes on the frontier lands.
“ Gabriel: ‘Oh, yeah… I know it. The devil’s strong. The devil ain’t no pushover. Hellhounds snipping at everybody’s heels. But I
The Term “yellow” is ironically crucial to the reader’s perception of why the main character, Danny, is so fearful of his ethnic identity. Even though Danny cannot escape his “Korean-ness”, he instinctively insists upon rejecting his ethnicity, pursuing a “colorless”, life in America. Don Lee’s short story, “yellow”, illuminates the struggle of Danny, whom like many later generational Asian Americans attempts to assimilate into overall American culture, only to be constantly rejected. One’s ability to consume and digest this cultural dismissal can determine their ultimate mindset, this concept is highlighted by the conversation between Danny and his wife Rachel, “No stereotype is innocent” (Danny to Rachel), she replies, “Racism’s not the problem. It’s you” (pg. 249). In this instance, it can be realized that it is both society’s as well as Danny’s perception of his Asian identity that are misguided. Due to American society’s racial insensitivity, Danny finds himself filled with paranoia, unable to trust those around um, and even himself. It is only through eventful encounters/relationships that Danny may overcome his fear of “yellow”, seeing not only color but the humanity behind it.
In Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" an angel symbolizes the unfamiliar. The angel is not just a celestial body, but a foreign body-someone who stands out as being different from the rest of society. Consequently, the angel draws attention to civilized society's reaction, ergo the community's reaction within the story when it confronts him. Using the angel as a symbol, Marquez shows how ignorance reveals the vulnerability of human nature often leading to uncivilized behaviour.
In the story, A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, the angel has to suffer because of humans, who are confused about angel and his form. When we read the story, we learn that family placed presumed angel in the chicken coop, along with chickens. Further, in the story, the wise woman revealed to the couple that the old man was an angel. This news dissimilated in the community, as a fire in the jungle and everyone came to see the strange creature. Soon after the discovery of presumed angel, the wise old woman suggested the family to kill the angel, as it had come to take away their child. People threw stones at presumed angel that hurt his wings and was pushed with strong iron rods that increased his suffering
“If one-day speed kills me, do not cry because I was smiling.” These were the famous words this talented man was known for. The angel was a courageous and outgoing guy that had an amazing personality.
The significant passage of the book is on page 9 and it says “If there are real angels in the world...how come they're never around when we need them”
“With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth and to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing here on earth God’s work must truly be our own” (Kennedy par 27).
Another thing that stood out to me about General Lee was that he was not a big fan of slavery. He had command of Northern Virginia during the Civil War, so it does make sense. Lee through out this book shows his love for Virginia. Let’s face it, he is solely in this war because Virginia made the decision to leave the Union. He is very loyal to his home state, and it shows through out the
After discovering the man with enormous wings, Pelayo and his wife, Elisenda, come to the conclusion that the man is an angel. “"He's an angel," she told them. "He must have been coming for the child, but the poor fellow is so old that the rain knocked him down."” They believe that the angel was coming to take their sick son to Heaven. The neighbor tells the family that they should club the angel to death, while he is weak, so their son will not be taken away. “Against the judgment of the wise neighbor woman, for whom angels in those times were the fugitive survivors of a spiritual conspiracy, they did not have the heart to club him to death.” The couple decides to take pity on the old man, especially because their son begins to feel better. The couple decides to keep the angel in the chicken coop, and even begins charging people to come see him. “Elisenda, her spine all twisted from sweeping up so much marketplace trash, then got the idea of fencing in the yard and charging five cents admission to see the angel.”
When I was in 7th grade, my English teacher, Ms. Lee, assigned the class a writing assignment. Ms. Lee instructed the class to write a memorable moment from our life. I wrote about the special moments with my dog, Scooby. I wrote about how Scooby and I first met. I explained how my parents adopted Scooby at the animal shelter and how I was intimidated by his large, dark figure. At first, I did not want to do anything with Scooby, but as we got closer with each other, we grew a strong bond with each other. We would do everything together like feed him, walk him, and play with him.
In A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings, Garcia exposes the human race’s character flaw of having more compassion for the things people naturally relate to opposed to things they may misunderstand. This relation can be physical, mental, or spiritual. In A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings, Garcia also shows how the common view of one’s religion and the conditioned learning of symbols can negatively affect the way people react to things that are uncommon. Garcia reveals this by writing about an angel that doesn’t have the traditional qualities taught in most religions. He shows that even though people may have a respect for angels, they have never seen one in the flesh. This disconnect could ultimately have a negative effect on the way people treat the angel. Garcia’s A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings reveals how people would react if an angel without the traditional look were to appear on Earth.