Myth and Magic: Realism in "One Hundred Years of Solitude"

1354 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Importance of personal narrative

“He enjoyed his grandmother's unique way of telling stories. No matter how fantastic or improbable her statements, she always delivered them as if they were the irrefutable truth” (Wikipedia, 2011). Experiences are particular instances of one personally encountering or undergoing something and in these moments of time life changes for the best or the worst and memories are formed. These recollections such as riding your first bicycle, going to the seventh grade or even listening to the many stories your grandmother use to tell could be a heartbreaking or breathtaking experience. Most people, depending on the situation, dance around these moments just like Gabriel Garcia Marquez did in One Hundred Years of Solitude. The discovery of storytelling was an awe-inspiring experience – one that the many readers of his books would proudly contest. One Hundred Years of Solitude is an excellent book, a book that adds an interesting twist to the normal sequence of writing as it takes us through a series of concepts such as allotment, perseverance, myth and magic realism. The latter two although very well intertwined in the book provide a sense of mystery and fantasy. In my opinion, they are what make One Hundred Years of Solitude the novel it is today.

Just as we have learned to tell lies, fibs or even change one word in our concept, once believed or even questioned, we have become great storytellers. Most stories that are told are of mythical nature. They intend to inform, to surprise, to create or even to inspire. So, what is a myth? According to dictionary.com, myth is a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especia...

... middle of paper ...

...condo. With life’s differences comes the beauty of life and with the beauty of life so it was written, One Hundred Years of Solitude.

Works Cited

"Gabriel Garcia Marquez." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 1 Dec. 2011. Web. 2 Dec. 2011.

García, Márquez Gabriel. One Hundred Years of Solitude. New York: Harper & Row, 1970. Print.

MacEwan, Michelle. "The Power of Myth and Storytelling: Part 5 – The Sustenance of Myth." Http://www.michellemacewan.com. Michelle MacEwan Trust, 31 July 2009. Web. 2 Dec. 2011.

"Magic Realism." Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Random House Inc., 2011. Web. 02 Dec. 2011.

Moore, Lindsey. "Magical Realism." Http://english.emory.edu. 1998. Web. 2 Dec. 2011.

"Myth." Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Random House Inc., 2011. Web. 02 Dec. 2011.

Show More
Related

  • Concealment and Disguises in Homer's Odyssey

    2752 Words  | 6 Pages

    David, Adams Leening., ed. The World of Myths: An Anthology. New York: Oxford UP, 1990.

    Read More

  • Paul Tillich Unbroken Myths Summary

    1228 Words  | 3 Pages

    The “popular use of the word myth to denote something that is thought by many people to be “true,” but actually is not true can be examined through history. Today’s current understanding of myth is: “A traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or heroor event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a naturalexplanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigodsand explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature,istories or matter of this kind,iany invented story, idea, or concept,ian imaginary or fictitious thing or person,ian unproved or false collective belief that is

    Read More

  • “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia- Marque

    989 Words  | 2 Pages

    Christopher, J. (2011, July). The Life and Influence of Gabriel Garcia Marquez - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2014, from http://voices.yahoo.com/the-life-influence-gabriel-garcia-marquez-8776677.html

    Read More

  • Myths of Cultures and Civilizations

    1415 Words  | 3 Pages

    Over the recent centuries, the definition of myth has decayed into a word synonymous with falsehoods and lies. This idea of myths being completely false and therefore useless is a fairly modern one. To combat the rise of empirical science in the 1900s, theologians brought the idea of wholly literal, fundamental religion into being to combat ideas that did not perfectly align with the tenants of the religion (May 24). This was the final death blow to the idea of the metaphysical myth that was already wounded from thousands of years of being denounced as pagan or barbaric. The rise of empirical science also lent to the decay of the meaning of myth. Science was able to explain the natural world far better than a myth ever could; however, it lacked the metaphysical aspect. Due to these rising ideologies, myths hav...

    Read More

  • Long Way Gone Myths

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    A myth is a traditional story that considers the history of people explaining some type of event that typically involves mystical beings or events. In "A Long Way Gone” the author provided many myths and legends such as “wild pigs”, “bra spider”, omen of the crow, the name ceremonies and so many more. Each story has it's only purpose, but in all I believe the purpose of each myth or legend is to teach a lesson, or to tell a story of things good or bad.

    Read More

  • Hercules

    3153 Words  | 7 Pages

    1.     What Is A Myth? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

    Read More

  • Impact of Mythology in Ancient Greek Culture

    1031 Words  | 3 Pages

    The earliest myths are found to exist during the archaic period. The Greek word “Mythos” describes words or speech and can also mean a tale or legend. Myths have continually been to be passed down for traditional purposes. Elders would tell these magnificent stories to inspire and teach young children about gods and heroes. Mythology was important

    Read More

  • Progress and Innocence in One Hundred Year of Solitude

    2165 Words  | 5 Pages

    Wood, Michael. "Review of One Hundred Years of Solitude." In Critical Essays on Gabriel Garcia Marquez. McMurray, George R., ed. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1987.

    Read More

  • The Doomed Buendia Family in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude

    974 Words  | 2 Pages

    García, Márquez Gabriel, and Gregory Rabassa. One Hundred Years of Solitude. New York: HarperCollins, 2006. Print.

    Read More

  • Mythology In Mythology

    881 Words  | 2 Pages

    Myths relate to events, conditions, and deeds of gods or superhuman beings that are outside ordinary human life and yet basics to it” ("Myth," 2012). Mythology is said to have two particular meanings, “the corpus of myths, and the study of the myths, of a particular area: Amerindian mythology, Egyptian mythology, and so on as well as the study of myth itself” ("Mythology," 1993). In contrast, while the term myth can be used in a variety of academic settings, its main purpose is to analyze different cultures and their ways of thinking. Within the academic setting, a myth is known as a fact and over time has been changed through the many different views within a society as an effort to answer the questions of human existence. The word myth in an academic context is used as “ancient narratives that attempt to answer the enduring and fundamental human questions: How did the universe and the world come to be? How did we come to be here? Who are we? What are our proper, necessary, or inescapable roles as we relate to one another and to the world at large? What should our values be? How should we behave? How should we not behave? What are the consequences of behaving and not behaving in such ways” (Leonard, 2004 p.1)? My definition of a myth is a collection of false ideas put together to create

    Read More

  • Greek Mythology Essay

    1214 Words  | 3 Pages

    A mythology is an important feature of many cultures. A myth is a sacred narrative that explains how the world and humankind assumed their present form. In a broad sense, it can refer to any traditional story. A myth’s function is to provide a model for behavior and to provide a religious experience. By reenacting myths societies bring themselves closer to the divine.

    Read More

  • Characterization, Symbolism, and Repetition in Hundred Years of Solitude

    1872 Words  | 4 Pages

    Wood, Michael. "Review of One Hundred Years of Solitude." In Critical Essays on Gabriel Garcia Marquez. McMurray, George R., ed. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1987.

    Read More

  • The Chronicles of Narnia and The Bible

    1849 Words  | 4 Pages

    “A myth is a way of making sense in a senseless world. Myths are narrative patterns that give significance to our existence.” ― Rollo May

    Read More

  • A Fear of Death: Edgar Allan Poe's The Pit and the Pendulum

    2314 Words  | 5 Pages

    Thury, Eva and Margaret K. Devinney. “Theory: Man and His Symbols.” Introduction to Mythology: Contemporary Approaches to Classical and World Myths. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013. 519-537. Print.

    Read More

  • One Hundred Years of Solitude: Linear and Circular Time

    678 Words  | 2 Pages

    Cien Anos de Soledad Style in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude is closely linked to myth. Marquez chooses magic realism over the literal, thereby placing the novel's emphasis on the surreal. To complement this style, time in One Hundred Years of Solitude is also mythical, simultaneously incorporating circular and linear structure (McMurray 76).

    Read More

More about Myth and Magic: Realism in "One Hundred Years of Solitude"

Open Document