The following report is by Nazir.
Magic realism was initially in the form of visual art during the time
expressionism was fading. It was a term first used by the art
historian Franz Roh in 1925. After gradually burgeoning it was in
Latin America that the term was first applied to literary art. The
reason for its success is it distinguishes from other genres as it is
not fantasy where the reader does not question the reality as the
setting itself is magical; whereas in magic realism the ‘magic’ is
embedded in reality. In my view the most plausible way the author
describes magic realism is as follows:
“To revivify and expand our sense of the “real,” Magic Realism also rediscovers
“the charm of the object,” by looking in a fresh, childlike way at the
familiar, with such attentiveness and intensity that it is
defamiliarized, and once again becomes a source of awe and wonder.”
The reason for quoting this line is that it is true, like fantasy, we
are not taken to a different world which is unfamiliar to us but
instead we look at something mundane in a different way that takes
away our knowledge of it and makes it an object of incredulity. This
aspect of it made it political because it defies the dogma of order.
Therefore; the fame of it started in Latin America as this region saw
extreme political conditions for the last 500 years and in conditions
where it was not possible to criticize openly, “the metaphors and
hyperboles were used to express their sentiments.” It was also used to
describe the social condition and to correct the culture which made
the readers question their order of things.
I find this article very revealing as an introduction to the literary
term “Magic Realism” because it is true that without knowledge about
this term I would simply declare it as fantasy. As I did not read
Metamorphosis yet, this article will prepare me to read the book and
understand the meaning that it is trying to portray. It will make me
look for the metaphors and the hyperboles it represents.
Magic realism was initially in the form of visual art during the time
expressionism was fading. It was a term first used by the art
historian Franz Roh in 1925. After gradually burgeoning it was in
Latin America that the term was first applied to literary art. The
reason for its success is it distinguishes from other genres as it is
not fantasy where the reader does not question the reality as the
setting itself is magical; whereas in magic realism the ‘magic’ is
embedded in reality. In my view the most plausible way the author
describes magic realism is as follows:
“To revivify and expand our sense of the “real,” Magic Realism also rediscovers
“the charm of the object,” by looking in a fresh, childlike way at the
familiar, with such attentiveness and intensity that it is
defamiliarized, and once again becomes a source of awe and wonder.”
The reason for quoting this line is that it is true, like fantasy, we
are not taken to a different world which is unfamiliar to us but
instead we look at something mundane in a different way that takes
away our knowledge of it and makes it an object of incredulity. This
aspect of it made it political because it defies the dogma of order.
Therefore; the fame of it started in Latin America as this region saw
extreme political conditions for the last 500 years and in conditions
where it was not possible to criticize openly, “the metaphors and
hyperboles were used to express their sentiments.” It was also used to
describe the social condition and to correct the culture which made
the readers question their order of things.
I find this article very revealing as an introduction to the literary
term “Magic Realism” because it is true that without knowledge about
this term I would simply declare it as fantasy. As I did not read
Metamorphosis yet, this article will prepare me to read the book and
understand the meaning that it is trying to portray. It will make me
look for the metaphors and the hyperboles it represents.
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