Magical Realism Class Notes

Palm Tree = Horse “Reality is more than the thing itself. I look always for the super-reality. Reality lies in how you see things. A green parrot is also a green salad and a green parrot. He who makes it only a parrot diminishes reality. A painter who copies a tree blinds himself to the real tree. I see things otherwise. A palm tree can become a horse.” (Pablo Picasso, A Palm Tree Becomes a Horse, 1950.)

Definition Modern Fiction where… Fantastical events are included in a narrative that establishes an otherwise reliable tone. Characters have fantastical attributes Levitation Flight Telekinesis Telepathy

Definition (cont’d) Modern fiction where… There is a juxtaposition of realistic and fantastic events. Time Shifts Convoluted Plot Lines Dreams Arcane Erudition Myths and Fairy Tales

Characteristics Hybridity – MR takes place in inharmonious settings that mix urban and rural, Western and indigenous, etc. Issues involve borders, mixing, and change. Irony – The author must distance himself/herself from the magical world, yet still have a strong respect for the magic.

Characteristics (cont’d) Authorial Reticence – Author lacks opinions concerning the accuracy of the events. Supernatural and Natural – The supernatural is not displayed as questionable.

Final Slide "My most important problem was destroying the line of demarcation that separates what seems real from what seems fantastic.” – Gabriel Garcia Marquez.