Discrimination in Edward Scissorhands and A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings

Different, not the same as another or each other.  Society treats people who are different with neglect and discriminate against them due to fear and lack of knowledge.  In both, Edward Scissorhands and “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” characters are treated these ways because of their differences.  Although diversity may seem like a horrifying topic, diversity and difference are what has designed the world into what is known today.

From sitting in a chicken coop to staying all alone in a mansion with no visitors for years, both characters, the man with enormous wings and Edward are neglected because they are different.  After falling face down in the garden of Pelayo and Elisenda, hospitality is not given to the man.  Instead, the man is locked in a chicken coop and treated like a specimen rather than, “...and before going to bed he dragged him out of the mud and locked him up with the hens in the wire chicken coop.” (Marques 4).  The old man’s large wings are off-putting to Pelayo and his wife which is why they treat him with neglect.  Lack of knowing frightens them and is what starts the acts of neglect towards him.  Similar to the old man, Edward is also neglected because of his differences.  Edward lives in an old mansion on top of a gigantic hill which does not fit in with the social norms of the town.  All the other houses are colorful and clean while Edward’s house is gloomy and run down.  Just based on the looks of his house he is treated with neglect and is not visited by his neighbors.  When Peg finally goes to the house it is noticed how neglectful people have been towards Edward, “Are you alone?  Do you live up here all by yourself?” (Burton).  This quote proves that Peg does not know much about Edward, asking him simple questions that any neighbor would know.  The look of Edward’s house changes people’s opinion of him before they even get to know him, neglecting him from the start.  Fear and ignorance of others cause the neglect and mistreatment that these characters endure

The lack of knowledge and fear once again cause issues for the main characters, this time discrimination.  After the old man is neglected, he starts to be discriminated against due to his wings.  When found lying in the mud he is not helped instead he is analyzed by a neighbor, “...they called in a neighbor woman who knew everything about life and death to see him, and all she needed was one look to show them their mistake.” (Marques 3).  The wings of the old man strike fear in people because they are abnormal and cause discrimination.  Edward is also faced with discrimination once again from a neighbor, “...straight from the stinking flames of hell!  The power of Satan is in him; I can feel it.” (Burton).  Edward’s hands change the first impression that people have of him.  Unfortunately, people do not think twice about a person if they seem unusual, and because of ignorance, they do not care to learn more about them.  This neighbor sees Edward and starts saying the awful thoughts that she has of him, discriminating against him.  These thoughts come out only because she is intimidated and can not comprehend Edward’s differences.  Due to people being uneducated on both, the old man’s wings and Edward’s hands, they are discriminated against and despised.

Discrimination and neglect are only two of the ways people that are different are treated, the route of this problem is fear and lack of knowledge.  Edward and the old man both face these issues.  These characters are treated differently because of their differences although they are so much more than that.  Why treat people differently?