Introduction
In the short story “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”, Gabriel Garcia Marquez describes the life of Pelayo who discovers an old man with large wings. He accommodates him in a chicken coop and capitalizes on his condition to amass wealth from villagers who come to see him. In the second story, “A Rose for Emily”, William Faulkner describes the life and experiences of Emily. Her death becomes a grim reminder of a lost era striving to thrive in a changing world. This discussion gives a detailed comparison of how the authors of these two works depict villages and towns.
Depiction of Villages and Towns
In “A Rose for Emily”, it is notable that Emily has lived in a town that is no longer in touch with traditional practices and ideologies. In this city, a new wave has emerged whereby most of the people are no longer tied to the past. However, Emily is unable to marry since no one seems to be fit for her. The reader observes that she develops a negative and unhealthy relationship with her hometown (Faulkner, n.d.). In the same city, more individuals appear to be focusing on a new social order whereby they can pursue their goals without any form of coercion. However, Emily is represented as someone who is living in a vanished but golden age.
In this urban region, the people are focusing on new ideas and strategies that challenge the past. For Emily, she is supposed to follow the demands of her family and maintain her social status. However, she decides to court a laborer from the North (Faulkner, n.d.). This portrayal depicts the nature of villages in this society and how the dwellers pursue their social and economic goals. Those living in such areas are expected to work hard on the farms to meet the needs of those of their counterparts in different towns. Additionally, a form of aristocracy is evident whereby those in urban regions appear to be affluent.
However, the progression of this story shows how a new social order is emerging whereby those found in the villages are able to visit the major towns. The validity of such areas as homes for the rich is questioned challenged after a new age takes shape. Her decision to kill Homer is intended to ensure that she becomes part of her forever (Huang, 2019). This attempt to stop or control time is questionable in nature since there is no way one can prevent villagers from visiting urban areas.
The death of Emily can be analyzed as a new development whereby the old appears to meet the modern. Individuals living in rural areas or villages have gained a new opportunity to visit urban areas and live there. Homer’s death could also become a symbol of such a transition since he used to be a laborer from the North. The reader realizes that the world has changed despite the fact that Emily and her entire family still continue to promote the notions and practices associated with the past (Faulkner, n.d.). Similarly, the death of Emily’s father becomes the true source and sign of liberation for many. The move act of taking the rose violently, as the author portrays in the story, seems like the new intersection between the experiences of those living in urban areas and in villages. A new era has emerged whereby people can live anywhere and pursue their goals diligently.
The consideration of the divergent depictions of the village and urban life could become the guideline for learning more about the forces of modernization and social transformation. The portrayal also reveals that change is always powerful and capable of triggering a paradigm shift, thereby transforming people’s lives and experiences forever (Huang, 2019). Although Emily dies at the end of the story, it is agreeable that the people find a new opportunity to examine and pursue life from a different perspective.
On the other hand, the short story “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” gives a unique depiction of towns and villages that are more or less the same as the insights Faulkner presents. The story takes place in a rural village that is equivalent to Homer’s home in the Northern part of the described society. In this work, Pelayo is seen as the man who harvests crabs for a living (Márquez, 1955). This portrayal matches a sea coast society or village. The people in this rural neighborhood are amazed after learning that there is an old man with extraordinary features. This new development encourages most of the villagers to visit and see for themselves. Pelayo decides to charge the villagers, thereby increasing his fortunes and wealth.
In such a rural setting, the people encounter a wide range of challenges, such as diseases and poor health outcomes. The presence of Priest Gonzaga is a testimony that there are established religious practices and institutions in society. Members of the community appear to gather in such a way that they make the life of this man pathetic (Márquez, 1955). They also pinch and pull his feathers. The presence of a chicken coop portrays a rural setting whereby people raise different birds for their financial support.
In this village, most of the people are idle and do not seem to have much to do. Consequently, they are able to get adequate to visiting Pelayo’s home and see the old man with wings. These developments come to a sudden stop after the villagers get news of a traveling freak show (Márquez, 1955). The arrival of these actors compels the villagers to divert their attention to the spider woman. According to Márquez (1955), she had transformed to become a giant after disobeying her parents. The popular story of this woman explains why these villagers forgot the old man very soon.
With this kind of portrayal, it is evident that the village is surrounded by several towns. For instance, the freak show should have its origin in a specific or unmentioned town. Consequently, the performers seem to be interested in educating and entertaining members of this village (Márquez, 1955). They are also optimistic to experience different performances, miracles, and actions. Such observations explain how and why people can expand their ideas and knowledge.
The depiction of Elisenda and Pelayo explains a unique transformation that could happen when most people decide to move to urban areas. Towns are usually characterized by many people with diverse backgrounds. They present additional ideas to one another, thereby being able to pursue their common goals (Márquez, 1955). The story of this family changes because of the old man. The members are able to construct a better house from the accrued funds. They do so without considering the fate of the person who transformed their lives. This new way of life is observed to echo the experiences of those living in urban areas.
Through these two stories, the reader is able to appreciate the fact that towns and villages will usually form the background or foundation of any given community. Such rural settings appear to have various attributes, such as poor working conditions, diseases, and food scarcity (Márquez, 1955). Homer in “A Rose for Emily” is the best example of the problems and issues defining the experiences of many individuals in the village. Similarly, Pelayo in “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” could be studied as someone who symbolizes poverty, disease, and transformation. However, the two villages are able to find new hope in the death of Emily and the emergence of an old man in the respective stories (Huang, 2019). Similarly, these new developments resonate with the forces many people experience when they decide to live in urban areas.
Conclusion
The above discussion has presented two short stories that describe the lives and goals of people in different settings. Despite the observable differences, it is evident that the authors depict two villages that face similar issues and challenges. The events that take place in such communities present a paradigm shift that resonates with the concepts of urbanization and improved living standards. In conclusion, these artistic approaches can guide more people to learn more about the nature of life in rural areas and urban centers in different parts of the world.
References
Faulkner, W. (n.d.). A rose for Emily. 2020, Web.
Huang, Y. (2019). An analysis on rose in A Rose for Emily. Journal of Social Science Studies, 6(2), 202-205. Web.
Márquez, G. G. (1955). A very old man with enormous wings. In, Leaf storm and other stories (p. 362). Harper & Row.