Magical Realism

1. Magical Realism Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me Ultima

2. Magical Realism • Literary genre & movement • Franz Roh (1925) • German art critic: new way to look at paintings, new techniques • AlejoCarpentier (1949) • Coined term “marvelous reality” to describe a new type of fiction produced by new Latin American writers

3. Magical Realism • “The ordinary as miraculous and the miraculous as ordinary.” • Magical elements appear in an otherwise realistic setting without any disruption to the logic of the story • Magic is a normal aspect of this “normal” universe

4. Magical Realism • Characters consider magic as a usual possibility of their world. Magic might be rare, but it is still a serious topic in these fictions as chemistry or physics is in our world • Combination of physical reality & psychological reality

5. Different from Fantasy • Remains grounded in the real world • Unlike fiction which occurs in a new universe: Narnia or Hogwarts • No need to explain what’s going on – the laws, the people – the only difference is magic is possible • Not so much a belief, but a “lack of disbelief” • Power lies not in answers, but in questions

6. Function of Magical Realism • Response to colonialism (post-colonialism) • Europe imposed religion, laws, language, customs, logic • Central and South American writers began subverting “scientific” and :logical” literature by allowing minor voices to compete with major voices • Folklore, myths, Native American tales, urban legends

7. Function of Magical Realism • A forum in which pagan gods “cleansed” by European conquerors can be expressed • Show Latin Americas unity and its differences from Spain or Portugal • Often done in conjunction with political or economic nationalism

8. Common Literary Conventions • Juxtaposes opposite elements: • Dreaming/waking • Life/death • Civilized/wild • Hyperbole • Exaggeration until it becomes “magical” • Childlike look at the familiar • “charm of the object” • Reimagining the mundane • Engages reader into text • Mirror • Forces questioning

9. Latin America • Landscape • Vast, mysterious terrain • Snow capped mountains to volcanoes & Amazon waterfalls • Native influence • Blend of old, mystical culture with colonization & Christianity

10. Famous Magical Realism Authors • Gabriel G. Marquez • One Hundred Years of Solitude • Love in the Time of Cholera • Laura Esquivel • Like Water for Chocolate • Isabel Allende • House of the Spirits

11. Rudolfo Anaya October 30, 1937 - • Born in Pastura, Mexico • Rural village • Moved to Albuquerque, NM • High School & College • Currently a college professor at University of New Mexico • Father of Chicano literature

12. Bless Me Ultima • Bildungsroman • German for “novel of self-cultivation” • Coming-of-age • Many similarities between Anaya & Antonio Marez • Six yrs. old @ start of novel • Father: vaquero culture; richly connected to land • Mother: Catholic, modern, city dweller • Struggle between two worlds: • Rich, mystical, pagan family ties & traditional Roman Catholicism • Ultima • Curandera • Healer: akin to shaman

13. References • http://www.powershow.com/view/2435cf-YWM3N/Magical_Realism_powerpoint_ppt_presentationMany similarities between Anaya & Antonio Marez • Pleasenton.k12.ca.us