The story has received several critical responses, most of which comment on Marquez's use of the magical realism genre.
In an article for the Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, Greer Watson commented that there is little that is considered fantastic about the story, rather that elements such as the old man's wings are presented as an accepted fact.[14] He goes on to state that it is only the angelic nature of the winged man that is drawn into question.[14] Scholar John Goodwin argues that the text of the tale can be read as a commentary on La Violencia, as the short story was published during this time, writing that the "opinions of the villagers reveal an idealized view of religion as government; their treatment of the angel, however, betrays their reaction to rule by religious authorities."[15] Marcy Schwartz felt that Marquez use of ambiguity was effective.[11]
Vera M. Kutzinski commented on the use of wings in the story in the context of the Afro-American myth of flying and the trope of flying in general.[10] In her analysis, she uses a quote from Marquez which discusses his connections and inspiration from the Caribbean as well as the importance of mestizo identity. She also emphasizes the use of sorcery and flying in traditional Afro-American folklore while also drawing historical and literary comparisons to other writers works such as Juan Rodriguez Freyle's El carnero (1636) and Alejo Carpentier's The Kingdom of This World (1957).[10]
