the very old man with enormous wings.

the old man in this story is an angel. i say this because he comes into the lives of pelayo and elisenda to take their sick baby up to heaven. but when pelayo traps the angel in the chicken coop, the baby gets better. the old man also speaks a different language from everyone, which is also good evidence that he is an angel. eventually the angel becomes a common fixture in the family's life. i think that the old angel symbolizes stability. he makes the family stable in their finances, health and in their home all at the expence of his own body and dignity.