Discovering an exotic and unfamiliar object, it is only normal for people to trace its origin and interpret it from different angles. What's more, they will even appreciate and exhibit it if it has graceful features and special values. However, the above-described actions can be found in neither “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez nor “The Drowned Giant” by J. G. Ballard. The former takes place in a small city with religious leadership as rule while the latter takes place in a bigger and more modern one. In spite of the difference in background, the general public of the two stories both lack imagination on an individual level. As a result, their system of values, attitudes towards mythology, as well as the way they
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Though the city in Ballard's tale doesn't seem to have a religion as myth, the citizens can still choose to believe in it. For example, just like what the narrator does, they could observe the drowned giant from aesthetic aspect. Nevertheless, they will not imagine that he is a living monumental sculpture with ornate charm that might suddenly be roused from sleep (Ballard 642). In other words, they are not trying to appreciate the gigantic creature, as well as myths. Another illustration is that while the narrator hopes to analyze his character and admire his modest temper, the public only wants to investigate the giant through scientific methods (Ballard 643). Hence, their unimaginativeness is demonstrated. They only believe in the matter-of-fact explanations by experts. In comparison with Marquez’s tale, the public in two societies are very much alike as they both deprecate myths and lacks imagination. As a consequence, their attitudes towards mythology are depicted to be equally negative despite the difference in …show more content…
In the fiction world Marquez creates, the general public treats the weak angel, who is locked up in a chicken coop, like he is a circus animal rather than a supernatural creature (Márquez 159). For instance, they, for fun, throw stones at him cruelly so as to see him standing. It is nothing less than an offensive action harming the angel’s dignity. Despite his patience, the crowds continue their irritative and torturous behaviour. What's worse is that they even burn him with a branding iron as if they are declaring ownership of him. Their ignorance is therefore reflected by those insulting acts done to the angel for their own entertainment. Moreover, to Pelayo and Elisenda, although the angel, who is the very source of their wealth, enable them to live in a well-found mansion, they still see him as a nuisance. Their ungratefulness is seen when they shoo him out of the house and complain about the awful life with him (Bell-Villada 138). All these show their ignorant and rude attitude towards exotic
Though the city in Ballard's tale doesn't seem to have a religion as myth, the citizens can still choose to believe in it. For example, just like what the narrator does, they could observe the drowned giant from aesthetic aspect. Nevertheless, they will not imagine that he is a living monumental sculpture with ornate charm that might suddenly be roused from sleep (Ballard 642). In other words, they are not trying to appreciate the gigantic creature, as well as myths. Another illustration is that while the narrator hopes to analyze his character and admire his modest temper, the public only wants to investigate the giant through scientific methods (Ballard 643). Hence, their unimaginativeness is demonstrated. They only believe in the matter-of-fact explanations by experts. In comparison with Marquez’s tale, the public in two societies are very much alike as they both deprecate myths and lacks imagination. As a consequence, their attitudes towards mythology are depicted to be equally negative despite the difference in …show more content…
In the fiction world Marquez creates, the general public treats the weak angel, who is locked up in a chicken coop, like he is a circus animal rather than a supernatural creature (Márquez 159). For instance, they, for fun, throw stones at him cruelly so as to see him standing. It is nothing less than an offensive action harming the angel’s dignity. Despite his patience, the crowds continue their irritative and torturous behaviour. What's worse is that they even burn him with a branding iron as if they are declaring ownership of him. Their ignorance is therefore reflected by those insulting acts done to the angel for their own entertainment. Moreover, to Pelayo and Elisenda, although the angel, who is the very source of their wealth, enable them to live in a well-found mansion, they still see him as a nuisance. Their ungratefulness is seen when they shoo him out of the house and complain about the awful life with him (Bell-Villada 138). All these show their ignorant and rude attitude towards exotic