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Theory of magical realism
Essay on magic realism
Theory of magical realism
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Imagine living in an ordinary world, but with a twist. Stuck in a world where aspects that are considered to be fantasy are incorporated into reality. A world where the supernatural becomes natural. These are some of the characteristics of magical realism, a fictional genre in literature where magical elements combine with reality and allow readers to understand a significance of the true world. Within works of writing, the characteristics of magical realism can benefit readers to understand a deeper meaning of reality by creating important and valuable life lessons. Firstly, magical realism creates life lessons through the characteristics of extraordinary objects being treated as ordinary. According to Gabriel Garcia …show more content…
According to Tim Burton’s film, Big Fish, Burton depicts a scene where magical realism helped enhance a small life lesson. As Edward Bloom, the main character, was in the circus, he spotted a beautiful girl named Sandra Templeton to which he already knew was going to be his future wife. After Bloom noticed her, time in that world literally stopped when he saw the love of his life. Because Bloom was so mesmerized by her enchanting beauty, Burton exhibits the concept of time being frozen. This relates to the events that happen today when a person sees a very attractive individual. Time actually stopping doesn’t and will never happen in the real world which intensifies the magic of meeting a first love. The message within this scene shows the reader how love at first sight can be real along with the feelings that one has during that time. Rudolfo A. Anaya in his novel, Bless Me, Ultima, provides a sense of cultural realities within a spanish community. Antonio, the main character, was raised in a family that is very devoted to Christianity. He was taught to praise God in order for guidance while he was a child. This demonstrates the Marez-Luna culture of Antonio’s parents and how it gives a sense of comfort. The readers can learn within this idea of how religion provides a feeling of safety in times of
...story telling traditions. All storytellers are children of the ones, which came before them and stand on the shoulders of those who have told the tales in the past. Marquez and Anaya did not hesitate to make liberal use of magical realism, both as a way to create tension in their stories and to contact the deeper hearing of their audience. Magical realism was just another tool in their literary boxes, to be used with skill and discretion for the greater benefit of the tale being told. It worked well for the cantadora, sitting in the doorway weaving her basket as she wove her tale and it works equally well today as we pause from our lives, quiet our souls, and prepare to listen as the story unfolds.
Tim Burton is a creative director when he directs gothic movies. This essay talks about the cinematic techniques that Burton uses in the movies, Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Alice in Wonderland. Tim Burton uses shots and framing, sound, and lighting, to make a dark and gothic movies. He tries to make you feel a special way, in a certain scene, in his movies, by his different techniques.
Faris, Wendy B. Ordinary Enchantments: Magical Realism and the Remystification of Narrative. Nashville: Vanderbilt UP, 2004. 24 Sept. 2012. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. 21
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.
Julio Cortazar's “House Taken Over” is a good example of Magical Realism because it contains those two elements in it. An example in the story for the first element, reality, is the line “We rose at seven in the morning and got the cleaning done, and about eleven I left Irene to finish off whatever rooms and went to the kitchen. We lunched at noon precisely; then there was nothing left to do but a few dirty plate” (38). Another example that is for the second element, fantasy, is “...I heard the noise in the kitchen, then the bath, the passage off at that angle dulled the sound” (41). These two are examples of the Magical Realism because they show the two elements of the literary genre, reality and fantasy.
While there may be some debate as to whether the Argentinian Jorge Luis Borges was technically a Magical Realist, some may feel that his works definitely do have some of the characteristics of what is considered Magical Realistic literature. Among his various types of works are poetry, essays, fantasies, and short fictions. Often referred to in essays that discuss the history and theory of Magical Realism, "The Garden of Forking Paths" is probably Borges' most popular short story. Published in 1964 in a collection of Borges works entitled Labyrinths: Selected Stories & Other Writings, his short story "The Garden of Forking Paths" appears to have several of the elements of Magical Realism.
For these reasons, based on the examination of these two works, one cannot assume that Sublime literature and Magical Realist literature are the same, nor can one assume that they are genres of one another. They seem to have many characteristics in common, and therefore one would assume that they maintain a close relationship, although independently. By comparing and contrasting another genre of literature with Magical Realism, the defining boundaries that make up Magical Realism are narrowed.
Wendy B. Faris quotes, " Magical realism combines realism and the fantastic in such a way that the magical elements grow organically out of reality portrayed" (163). I saw this aspect a lot in this book. Fantastic elements combined with realism elements to make magical elements appear. Some of the examples were when Triana kept Karl as if he was still alive. I wanted to think that he was still alive because she kept him so long after his death.
Realism is a literary style in which the author describes people, their actions, their emotions and surroundings as close to the reality as possible. The characters are not perfectly good or completely evil; they exhibit strengths and weaknesses, just as real people. The characters often commit crimes or do immoral things, and are not always just good or just evil. In a realistic novel, aspects of the time period or location are also taken into consideration. Characters dress in clothes that befit them, and speak with local dialects. Most importantly, characters are not sugar coated or exaggerated. The characters do things as they would normally do them, and are not worse or better then their real life counterparts.
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.
“Powerful love. Heart stirring, often sudden, emotions create a life or death commitment. Many times, this love is the first the character has felt with this overwhelming power” (Harris). In the scene at the circus in Big Fish Edward Bloom is hit with this “Powerful Love” (Harris) and instantly falls in love with a girl that he sees at the circus. Bloom says” They say when you meet the love of your life, time stops” (Big Fish). During this scene time has stopped and as Bloom approaches the girl he removes popcorn that is suspended in air and walks by people frozen in place. Bloom does not get a chance to speak to her, but he says the following. “I saw the woman I’m going to marry. I know it. But I lost her. I’m going to spend the rest of my life looking for her. That or die alone” (Big Fish). The scene uses the gothic element of romance as it displays how dedicated Bloom is to marry his future wife but also it exhibits Bloom’s further maturity as he starts his first job to obtain knowledge of his future wife’s whereabouts and
Fantasy, Magical, Supernatural, Sublime, and Realism are all several genres of literature that may be familiar to many people. However, there may be one that is not as well-known as these: Magical Realism. Although Magical Realism is mostly common in the Latin American countries, one may wonder where and how Magical Realism got its start. On the other hand, one may simply wonder what some of the characteristics of Magical Realism are. By looking at the history and theory of Magical Realism as well as some of its characteristics and influences, these questions will be answered.
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
Obviously the most concise definition of magical realism is that it is the combination of magical and real elements. The magical elements that exist in works of magical realism are; superstitions, exaggerations, dreams that come true, universal humor and the coincidence of bizarre events. All of these Elements are present within Chronicle of a Death Foretold.
What is magical realism? In an article called “What Is Magical Realism, Really?” by Bruce Holland Rogers states that magical realism stories are told “From the perspective of people who live in our world and experience a different reality from the one that we call objective.” This means that some things that would be out of the ordinary for us would be completely normal for other people. Fantasy does not relate to magical realism because magic realism has other effects on the way people act around things than fantasy.