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theory about magical realism
magical realism in fiction essay
theory about magical realism
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In the 1970s, Argentina was struck with political and social distress. With the death of President Peron and his wife, Isabel, coming into power – only to be overthrown by a military junta led by Jorge Videla – Argentina and its people were traumatized with terrorist violence “leaving hundreds dead” and thousands having “disappeared” (“Timeline: Argentina”). This era of violence became known as the ‘Dirty War’ and several of the people that went against the current socio-political system were left devastated or killed. Several of those killed were ones who were identified as either homosexuals or Marxists. Manuel Puig’s novel the Kiss of the Spider Woman portrays the story of two imprisoned men from different spectrums of the unacceptable standards that goes against the Argentinean society of the 1970s: one a Marxist (Valentin) political threat and the other a homosexual (Molina). At the onset of the novel, the two characters are presented as polar opposites who cannot seem to get along; which later on, their relationship evolves to one that requires them to have a real desire to become close to one another despite the prejudices instilled in them by the Argentine society. Through the movies described by Molina, we, the reader, are shown the progression of the two characters as they realize that they both are no different from the other and create a special bond. Puig’s uses of the movie the Cat People, the footnotes, and Molina’s death as symbols highlights the idea of magical realism. Through the use of magical realism, Puig allows the reader to become more open-minded towards different societal ideals, specifically homosexuality.
Magical realism, by definition, is a literary style that addresses social concerns, but masks the...
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...understand the need for a change in their perspectives towards others; mainly homosexuals. The main point of the use of magical realism is its fantasy aspects. The fantasy allows a safe and controlled environment for the reader, the characters, and the author to express freely worldly ideas and thoughts that cannot be defined nor modified by the prejudices and harshness of the real world. Molina and his homosexuality is depicted as a testament to challenge and to remind the reader of the issues of all societies, not only just of the issues of homosexuals. Puig wishes for a world wherein oppressed people like him could freely walk the streets and no longer worry about living in a fantasy.
Works Cited
Puig, Manuel. Kiss of the Spider Woman. Trans. Thomas Colchie. New York: Vintage, 1979. Print.
"Timeline: Argentina." BBC News. BBC, 07 Oct. 2012. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.
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.
Through the artful use of careful diction, emotional stories, and persuasive structure, Carmen Vàzquez made her argument very clear. She found that gender roles and the state of homophobia in today’s society was unacceptable, and requested the reader’s cooperation in the struggle to reform society’s views. “Appearances” is an excellent example of an essay with an effective delivery of an argument. This manipulation of language may one day inspire a change in the views of society.
...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.
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.
For this engagement essay the article Mean Ladies: Transgenders Villains in Disney Films by Amanda Putnam and the chapter “Someday My Prince Will Come”: Disney, the Heterosexual Imaginary and Animated Films by Carrie L. Cokely will summarized, analyzed, and engaged with using the Queer analytical framework.
Faris, Wendy B. "Scheherazade'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. 163-186.
By its very definition, magical realism is “a literary or artistic genre in which realistic narrative and naturalistic technique are combined with surreal elements of dream or fantasy.” When there is magical realism in a story, the people notice the happenings, but they do not notice them as magic, but rather as a normal event. We read Paul Coehlo’s The Alchemist to learn about magical realism. Many folktales and modern stories demonstrate the concept of magical realism. Magical realism is incorporated into one of my all-time favorite movies, Big Fish. In this movie, there are three main elements of magic. Over the course of Edward’s stories, many fantastic things happen that are looked at as normal events. The three main examples are the village of Spectre, the love of Edward and Sandra, and the fish. Many other things happen in the movie that are magical, including the witch and the giant, but these three are the most prominent examples.
Working mainly with dialogue he creates characters in confinement who are forced to find a way to escape their own reality. In Kiss of the Spider Woman, Molina and Valentin escape their prison cell by telling movies. The importance of this is it helps them maintain their sanity and keep their brain thinking, their fantasies allow them to create their own reality based on their thoughts and ideas. Manuel Puig highlights the importance of their escape throughout the whole book by constantly using parallelisms to illustrate the change in his characters and their increasing similarities with the characters in the films. As well as having Molina and Valentin contrast femininity and masculinity in the story, and the manner in which they interact with one another. In Eternal Curse on the Reader of These Pages, Mr. Ramirez relies on Larry, and Larry relies on Mr. Ramirez to escape their own realities. Mr. Ramirez and Larry ultimately take on the role of a father and son and strengthen their relationship and bond. Manuel Puig weakens their bond as they become too convinced in their fantasy and believe that it is their new reality. However, the fantasy they create, which seems innocent at first, but ends up being their own curse, as they are hurt by the realization that their fantasy is not real. Although, in the end in both works the characters are defeated, they all manage to survive and cope with their situation a bit longer because of their alternate reality. As a result, Manuel Puig is highly successful in providing a theme of fantasy and escapism in his books, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Eternal Curse on the Reader of These Pages. The manner in which he describes his characters, a dependent on someone, allows for an understanding reading as one sympathizes with his characters
Faris, Wendy B. Ordinary Enchantments: Magical Realism and the Remystification of Narrative. Nashville: Vanderbilt UP, 2004. 24 Sept. 2012. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. 21
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.
Faris, Wendy B. "Scheherazade's Children: Magical Realism and Postmodern Fiction". Magical Realism Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham: Duke U.P., 1995. 163-190.
The footnote allows readers to fill in the gaps of Molina’s character, should they choose to believe the research or not. Puig brings Fenichel’s and Frued’s research into the novel to help readers understand Molina’s character in Kiss of the Spider Woman, particularly to explain why Molina volunteers to help Valentin clean up his “accidents” during his illness. To begin, Puig introduces Fenichel’s research, which argues that “the probability of a homosexual orientation increases the more the male child identifies with his mother” (Puig 137). Molina talks about his mother in such an affectionate way, as if he longs for her like how Valentin longs for his girlfriend. Molina describes his mother’s illness as “the danger inside, she carries the
Roh, Franz. "Magic Realism: Post-Expressionism." Magical Realism. Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham, N.C.: Duke UP, 1995: 15-30.
Magical Realism is the way in which a person views the world through a type of art. Magical realism deals with emotions, and it also discovers what is mysterious and meaningful in life. According to Franz Roh, in painting, is the way a person views the world through art (18, 20). Magical Realism has many characteristics that include many other ideas. Magical Realism can be observed in other subject areas, too, such as the logotherapy of Victor Frankl.
"What came to dominate the story and to leave a lasting impression was the view of man as a mystery surrounded by realistic data. A poetic divination or denial of reality. Something that for lack of a better word could be called magical realism." -Uslar Pietri