Examples Of Magical Realism In The Fall Of The House Of Usher

Gothic and Magical Realism Writing Style “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “House Taken Over,” are two short stories that use two different genres to tell two different horror stories. One genre is, Gothic which was created in seventieth century and is used in literature, art, and in architecture; adding a dark and gloomy feeling to the story. Magical Realism started in the twentieth century, in Latin America using fantasy in reality, by adding an unreal element to the story. “The Fall of the House of Usher” uses the Gothic genre to add a horror effect, while “House Taken Over” used Magical Realism for its horror story and they both work in similar and different ways to tell each of the stories. The Gothic effects that caused “The

The setting of “House Taken Over” was taken place in Buenos Aries, in a large house. For example the narrator said that “eight people could have lived in that place and not have gotten in each others way” (Cortazar 38). This setting follow magical realism by Cortazar giving an exact realistic location to make the story seem real. The unknown element is what makes the story Magical Realism by adding something fake to the realistic story. This unknown element enters the story by a “muted and indistintinct, chair being knocked over onto the carpet” (Cortazar 39). In this case we do not know what it is or why its in the house but there is something. After the first time they hear the noise they move to the other side of the house to live. This seemed like a very weird thing to do because of them not caring what’s in their house, and that they think if they live on one side of the house and the thing on the other side, plus doesn’t come to their side they are fine with it living in the house, without knowing what it is. Then as the sound gets closer and is on there side of the house they run out scared and “locked the front door up tight and tossed that down the sewer. This makes the story even more unreal because the narrator and his sister leave everything behind in the house and don’t care about it or what is inside of the house. This unreal element in the seemingly realistic story cause the story be under the category of Magical