A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings&Big Fish

             Magical Realism is an aesthetic style or genre of fiction in which magical elements are blended into a realistic atmosphere in order to access a deeper understanding of reality, it exists in both literature and film.  A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” tells the story of Pelayo and his wife Elisenda, who find an old man with wings in their courtyard after killing crabs in a rainstorm."The news of the captive angle spread with such rapidity that after a few hours the courtyard has the bustle of a marketplace..." (Marquez 2).Pelayo puts him in a chicken coop after being convinced by his neighbor that he is an angel, people swarmed to the chicken coop and paid to see the angel, soon Pelayo had enough money to build a mansion for him and his family. In "Big Fish" Will Bloom at spent his days hating his dad's stories because he thought they were all just made up stories, and he thought of his dad as a liar and a cheater only to realize at his death bed that his stories were real but simply exaggerated to make them sound more exciting and fun. 

           Magical realism in both Big Fish and A Very Old Man Enormous Wings teaches a lesson  by comparing reality to fantasy. A Very Old Man Enormous Wings teaches the human need to interpret and make sense of life's events by drawing conclusions."What surprised him most, however, was the logic of his wings. They seemed so natural on that completely human organism that he couldn't understand why other men didn’t have them too.” (Marquez 4). People try to understand and put a logic sense to what they can not understand, and when they realize this, they lose interest in it because they can not interpret it and move on to the next thing they do not understand like the "shiny new toy". In Big Fish, Will comes to realization that   his fathers tall tales were only to expand his imagination and creativity, making his childhood more exciting and memorable.  Upon this realization, he continues to tell his father's tale to his own kids, letting his indulge in the fascinating world of magical realism.  

Siddhartha-OM

           

           OM is the symbol for all thing, the concept of OM signifies the unity and perfection of the universe.In Herman Hesse's novel, Siddhartha, the main character Siddhartha, leaves home to seek enlightenment, resulting with an understanding and embracement of Om.Siddhartha’s recognitions of Om guides his journeys and spiritual growth and punctuates moments of awakening in his life, and he finally obtains enlightenment through a profound recognition of OM. 


            At the very beginning of Siddhartha's quest, OM foreshadows the very ending of his quest. Siddhartha sits himself down and recites the common verse, "Om is the bow, the arrow is the soul, Brahman is the arrow's goal at which one aims unflinchingly." (Hesse 9).The verse describes Om, the symbol of unity, perfection, and the infinity of all things, as a tool, a way to achieve your life's goal, that of which is to reach Nirvana, through Brahman. OM is what drove him out onto his quest to become enlightened. “He already knew how to say Om without sound, the word of words, to speak it soundlessly inward with the in-breath and soundlessly outward with the out-breath.......Yes everyone loved Siddhartha. H aroused joy in everyone, he was a delight to all. But Siddhartha was no joy to himself....” (Hesse 5). Even though Siddhartha knows what Om means, he hasn't merged with it, he does not fully understand it. Siddhartha’s quest is a quest for true understanding of OM and gaining unity with it; to become OM and reach enlightenment.


            OM also marks the turning point in Siddhartha’s journey, saving him from himself; after leaving Kamala, Kamaswami, and his unborn child, he attempts suicide out of frustration and tiredness by the rivers edge. “... a sound. It was one word, one syllable, ... the holy Om... At that moment, when the sound of Om reached Siddhartha's ears, his slumbering soul suddenly awakened and he recognized the folly of his action." (Hesse 94). At the possible end of Siddhartha's life, Om saves him from self-destruction, reawakening him to find his path to enlightenment once again. Om awakens him to a higher self, reminding him of the knowledge he has experienced throughout his search.“But no, he knew himself, he knew his hands and his feet, knew the place where he lay, knew this ego in his breast, this self-willed, odd person Siddhartha. But this Siddhartha was changed, renewed. He was remarkably alert, cheerful, and inquisitive.” (Hesse 95). Siddhartha wakes up feeling renewed and refreshed, back on track to recognize once again the truth he had forgotten. Having failed to reach enlightenment through the extremes of denying desire and indulging desire, Siddhartha prepares to find a balance between the two.


                Siddhartha never truly seeks out OM, Siddhartha is simply seeking for enlightenment, for answers to his questions. Siddhartha decides to listen strongly to the river, in which he comes to find OM, his answer to his questions. “... one word: Om---perfection.....Just as OM hovered over all the voices of the river......His wound blossomed, his suffering was radiant, his ego had dissolved into the unity.” (Hesse 144). He had finally reached enlightenment, he no longer stands above and is no better than anyone else, his suffering has shown him that he is like just like everyone else, and only in realizing his similarities with the rest of the world he finally achieves the compassion necessary for true enlightenment. Siddhartha meets up and teaches his old friend Govinda by the river. During Govinda's stay Siddhartha describes it as "When someone is seeking... it happens quite easily that he only sees the thing that he is seeking; that he is unable to find anything, unable to absorb anything, because he is only thinking of the thing he is seeking, because he has a goal, because he is obsessed with his goal. Seeking means to have a goal; However, Siddhartha never achieves his quest through seeking, but rather, through finding.but finding means; to be free, to be receptive, to have no goal." (Hesse 155). He realizes one is unable to find anything through seeking Om, but rather through finding; instead of seeking OM, he merges with and becomes OM, finding all balance and peace of existence.


             Siddhartha’s periodic recognitions of Om set him off onto his search for answers and marked his spiritual growth throughout his journey.meditated Siddhartha meditated OM as a boy in his hometown, helping him decide to leave town seeking enlightenment; OM physically saves his life on the brink of his suicide, reminding him of his true objective; ultimately, when Siddhartha attains enlightenment after many years of frustration, it is through hearing OM through meditation on the river.Siddhartha finally understands it, he has become enlightened, he has achieved the title of Buddha, all through one simple word... OM.