Magical Realism
Magical Realism
A literary mode rather than a distinguishable genre, magical
realism is characterized by two conflicting perspectives, one
based on a so-called rational view of reality and the other on
the acceptance of the supernatural as prosaic reality.
Magical Realism
Magical realism differs from pure fantasy primarily because it is set
in a normal, modern world with authentic descriptions of humans
and society. It aims to seize the paradox of the union of opposites; for
instance, it challenges binary oppositions like life and death and the
pre-colonial past versus the post-industrial present.
While the reader realizes that the
rational and irrational are opposite
and conflicting polarities, they are
not disconcerted because the
supernatural is integrated within the
norms of perception of the narrator
and characters in the fictional world.
In short,
In magical realism, the supernatural
is not presented as questionable.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
•
Born March 6th, 1927 in Aracataca,
Colombia.
•
Raised primarily by his maternal
grandparents who inspired and
encouraged him to become a writer.
•
Most of Marquez’ work is based off of
what he witnessed in Colombia and
the stories told by his grandparents.
•
Marquez rose to fame after the
release of his most famous and
critically acclaimed novel One
Hundred Years of Solitude, defining
his own literary style as Magical
Realism with most of his works
dealing with elements of fantasy and
the surreal.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
•
Won the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 1972.
•
Won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982.
The Handsomest
Drowned Man in the
World
1)
What was your overall interpretation of
this story?
2)
Comparing and contrasting the ways in
which the children, women, and men
react to the drowned man: How do you
account for the differences in their
reactions?
3)
How does the drowned man’s stature
contrast with the dimensions of the
village?
4)
What does the drowned man come to
symbolize for the people of the village?
The Handsomest
Drowned Man in the
World
1)
How is the nature of the village’s
transformation hinted at in the story’s
subtitle, A Tale For Children?
2)
Do you think that ‘magical realism’ is a
good description of Marquez’ style in
this story? Explain.
3)
Philosophers have sometimes expressed
the idea that the key to releasing human
potential is to expand people’s
imaginations. Explain how this story
supports that notion.
Artist, Josie Portillo
Jamaica Kincaid
•
Born Elaine Cynthia Potter Richardson,
May 25th, 1949 in St. John’s, Antigua.
•
Her mother was a home-maker and her
step-father a carpenter. At age 17 she was
sent to New York to work as an au pair.
•
Her novels are loosely autobiographical,
though Kincaid has warned against
interpreting their autobiographical
elements too literally: "Everything I say is
true, and everything I say is not true. You
couldn't admit any of it to a court of law. It
would not be good evidence.“
•
Her work often prioritizes "impressions
and feelings over plot development” and
features conflict with both a strong
maternal figure
and colonial and neocolonial influences.
Jamaica Kincaid
Jamaica Kincaid’s passion for writing was
passed on to her from her book-loving
mother, who taught her to read at the age of
three-and-a-half. Later in Kincaid’s childhood
almost nothing could stop her from acquiring
a book. She confesses, “I stole money to buy
books. It’s true. I was quite a thief and quite
a liar, and I’m sure the only thing that
stopped me was that I was never successful
at either. I’ve always been found out, and my
lies all seemed so plausible to me, I never
understood why they didn’t work for other
people. I suppose those were my first
ventures into fiction.”
•
1985 Guggenheim Award for Fiction
“Girl”
1)
In the story “Girl,” Kincaid does
not name the characters nor does
she identify who they are and
how they are related to each
other. What do you think the
relationship is between the two
characters?
2)
If the girl in "Girl" were a boy,
what would Mom be telling him?
What if Dad were talking
instead?
3)
Why is Mom so obsessed with her
daughter's sexuality? Can you
see parallels in today’s world?
“Girl”
1)
In your own life, what
expectations are you grateful for
that others place on you?
2)
What expectations do you wish
others did not place on you?
3)
Did this story leave you with any
questions?
Artist, Jan Farara