Theme Of Magic Realism In Midnight's Children

1543 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: History of magical realism literature

Magic realism as an efficient tool to resolve the problems of post colonialism: A study of the select novel Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie Abhibunnisha Begum, Assistant Professor, Department of English & Humanities, Anil Neerukonda Institute of Technology and Sciences, Sangivalasa, Bheemili Mandal, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, INDIA. “Magical realism combines realism and the fantastic in such a way that the magical elements grow organically out of the reality portrayed”. (Faris. 169) The form of magic realism offers an ingenious and effective means of screening the “real” living experiences. Literary works are drawn ahead the conventions of both realism and fantasy or myth. In previously colonized countries numerous ‘schools’ …show more content…

For instance, the author present the struggles encounter by the country which are not written in history. Therefore, this research focuses on literature that portrays the magic realism in everyday life. It is significant to find out how magic realism associated to the effects of colonization in the novel written by Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children. There are various studies done on the use of magic realism as the recitation technique and devices to depict the post-colonial and postmodern days, conversely only few are done, only contemplate on magic realism as their subject. Therefore, this research will expectantly make a contribution in closing the gap of expertise in literature regarding the use of magic realism as recommended by its …show more content…

The finding would also serve as a guide or insight for future studies on magic realism in contemporary novels. Magic realism interwoven both physical realities and psychological as one. It is “real” because it takes place in the real world and “magic” because it incorporates dreams, fantasies, and emotions as part of the real world. Time exists in a variety of timeless variability and the unreal happens as part of reality. In this study, the Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie is selected as it provides rich resources to analyze the characteristics of magic realism used in everyday life. The term “magic realism” was first introduced by Franz Roh, a German art critic. The term magic realism made its way to the literary genre in the 1930s, when the works of Latin American novelists and short story writers were renowned in a new trend – ‘magical realism’. It was a way to convey the realistic American mentality and generate a self-directed style of literature and it seizes the irony in the amalgamation of

Show More
Related

  • Identifying The Day We Were Dogs

    1006 Words  | 3 Pages

    Faris, Wendy B. "Scherazade's Children: Magical Realism and Postmodern Fiction." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham; N.C.: Duke UP, 1995.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Magical Realism In Like Water For Chocolate

    784 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the book Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, magical realism plays a large roll in the book. Magical Realism blends realistic elements with magical elements to create ‘magical realism.’ As a matter of fact, magical realism is used for a graphical explanation to access a better comprehension of reality; therefore, the readers can understand the connection from primeval or magical. In other words, fictional realism emphasis the elements of everyday life. Laura Esquivel effectively uses a fictional style to voice magical elements such as, Tita’s breast milk, the quail with rose pedals in the soup and the death of Pedro and Tita.

    Read More

  • Magical Realism

    1779 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...h has expressed a discomfort with labeling her work, “magical realism” explaining that “the events people pick out as magical don’t seem unreal to me” (91). She has also been quoted to have said that “there is no quantifiable reality” (91). For her personally, multiple realities exist, and they are not limited by any cultural beliefs or practices. In these stories, Erdrich helps readers suspend their realities long enough to see that other realities exist. By doing this, she is expanding readers’ general perceptions of the world. The dual weaving of magical and literal language helps create a cross-cultural exchange between the author and reader that is truly unique. Erdrich’s stories, while wildly entertaining, also can teach readers about respecting differences, tolerance, and acceptance of other cultures—all lessons that are extremely relevant in today’s world.

    Read More

  • Magical Realism In Big Fish

    991 Words  | 2 Pages

    Magical realism is a branch of fiction that is neither fantasy or escapist, like most or all fiction pieces it holds truth yet elements that do in fact make it fictional. These elements blend the magical elements seamlessly making them seem ordinary or realistic. These elements can be anything from mythical creatures to time being warped and are conveyed through characters, setting, and literary devices.

    Read More

  • Magical Realism and Psychology

    756 Words  | 2 Pages

    Faris, Wendy B. "Scheherazade's Children: Magical Realism and Postmodern Fiction". Magical Realism Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkison Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham Duke U.P., 1995. 163-190.

    Read More

  • Sandra Cisneros's “Never Marry a Mexican”

    969 Words  | 2 Pages

    Faris, Wendy B. Ordinary Enchantments: Magical Realism and the Remystification of Narrative. Nashville: Vanderbilt UP, 2004. 24 Sept. 2012. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. 21

    Read More

  • Magical Realism In Bless Me, Ultima And The Night Face Up

    867 Words  | 2 Pages

    Magical realism is a genre in which extraordinary events are incorporated into the ordinary world, usually referred to as realistic fiction. In Latin American culture many authors use this type of literature to describe phenomenal events that occur within our ordinary world. Magical realism can be analyzed through different novels, short stories and movies, for example, Bless me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya, “The Night Face Up,” by Julio Cortazar, “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings,” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the movie Big Fish by Tim Burton. Magical realism is a style of writing used to link the abnormal with the ordinary.

    Read More

  • The Perforated Sheet by Salman Rushdie

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    When discussing the controversial authors of Indian literature, one name should come to mind before any other. Salman Rushdie, who is best known for writing the book “Midnights Children.” The first two chapters of “Midnights Children” are known as “The Perforated Sheet”. In “The Perforated Sheet” Rushdie utilizes magic realism as a literary device to link significant events and their effects on the lives of Saleem’s family to a changing India. In fact, it is in the beginning of the story that the reader is first exposed to Rushdie’s use of magic realism when being introduced to Saleem. “On the stroke of midnight/clocks joined palms” and “the instant of India’s arrival at independence. I tumbled forth into the world”(1711). Rushdie’s description of the clocks “joining palms” and explanation of India’s newfound independence is meant to make the reader understand the significance of Saleem’s birth. The supernatural action of the clocks joining palms is meant to instill wonder, while independence accentuates the significance of the beginning of a new era. Rushdie also utilizes magic realism as an unnatural narrative several times within the story to show the cultural significance of events that take place in the story in an abnormal way.

    Read More

  • Feminism and Magical Realism Across Cultures

    2573 Words  | 6 Pages

    Magical Realism evolved only in the last century. Franz Roh was the first to use the term to describe paintings and the new style that had come about after the expressionistic era (7, p.15), however it was Alejo Carpentier who used it to describe Latin America's fanatastical writing styles (3, p.373). He felt that magical realism expounded upon reality and "was able to elude realism's insufficiency, in its inablility to describe an ex-centric experience"(3, p.373). Latin America, though perhaps the first to name the new writing phenomena, was not the only country to use it. In the course of this paper I will compare and contrast several different novels from female authors who evoked magical realism into their writing styles. These authors come from Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbean, showing the wide range of history and environments. Feeling that the Caribbean alone may prove to narrow a topic for a style that has taken the world by storm, I felt it only fitting that other countries should be included the theme of women in the paper. Also, I selected Africa and parts of Latin America to compare to Caribbean writings because these two continents play a pivotal role in shaping what the Caribbean has become today.

    Read More

  • Magical Realism in The Garden of Forking Paths

    1320 Words  | 3 Pages

    Simpkins, Scott. "Sources of Magic Realism/Supplements to Realism in Contemporary Latin American Literature." Magical Realism. Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham, N.C.: Duke UP, 1995: 145-157.

    Read More

  • Magical Realism as a World View

    461 Words  | 1 Pages

    Magical Realism can be observed in other subject areas, too, such as the logotherapy of Victor Frankl. Finding examples in other "real-world" fields of study helps in understanding Magical Realism as a

    Read More

  • Symbolism In The Prophet's Hair By Sallman Rushdie

    1390 Words  | 3 Pages

    A story is classified as magic realism when surreal or fantastic events occur within a realistic narrative and setting. This type of writing is present throughout Salman Rushdie’s short story, “The Prophet’s Hair.” The story is set in the early 20th century in the Kashmir Valley in India. This setting is not only realistic, but it actually is a real location in India. In addition, all of the

    Read More

  • Connecting Magical Realism and Psychology

    774 Words  | 2 Pages

    In order to see how Magical Realism is found in this treatment, one must first consider at least one of the identifying marks of Magical Realism. Among the characteristics that identify Magical Realism is the feeling of transcendence that the reader has while reading a Magical Realist text (Simpkins 150). During transcendence, a reader senses something that is beyond the real world. At the same time, however, the reader still feels as if he or she were rooted in the world (Sandner 52). After the reader undergoes transcendence, then he or she should have a different outlook on life.

    Read More

  • Use of Magical Realism in Chronicle of a Death Foretold

    1409 Words  | 3 Pages

    Magical realism is clearly present throughout Gabriel-Garcia Marquez's novel Chronicle of a Death Foretold.  Magical realism is the juxtaposition of realism with fantastic, mythic, and magical elements. A secondary trait was the characteristic attitude of narrators toward the subject matter: they frequently appeared to accept events contrary to the usual operating laws of the universe as natural, even unremarkable. Though the tellers of astonishing tales, they themselves expressed little or no surprise.

    Read More

  • Magic realism as post-colonialist device in Midnight's Children

    2650 Words  | 6 Pages

    'The formal technique of "magic realism,"' Linda Hutcheon writes, '(with its characteristic mixing of the fantastic and the realist) has been singled out by many critics as one of the points of conjunction of post-modernism and post-colonialism' (131). Her tracing the origins of magic realism as a literary style to Latin America and Third World countries is accompanied by a definition of a post-modern text as signifying a change from 'modernism's ahistorical burden of the past': it is a text that 'self-consciously reconstruct[s] its relationship to what came before' (131). The post-modern is linked by magic realism to 'post-colonial literatures [which] are also negotiating....the same tyrannical weight of colonial history in conjunction with the past' (131).

    Read More

More about Theme Of Magic Realism In Midnight's Children

Open Document