magical realism

E18042

Magical realism is a literary and artistic style that blends realistic narrative with fantastical elements presented as ordinary, often to explore complex social and political realities.

Aliases (2)

Statements (54)
Predicate Object
instanceOf artistic style
literary genre
narrative mode
contrastedWith high fantasy
strict literary realism
surrealism as dreamlike separation from reality
developedInPeriod 20th century
emergedFrom Latin American literary boom
field cinema
literature
theatre
visual arts
hasCharacteristic ambiguity between natural and supernatural explanations
blend of realistic narrative and fantastical elements
blurring of boundaries between dream and reality
challenge to Western rationalism
dense descriptive language
exploration of postcolonial identity
focus on everyday life with extraordinary events
focus on marginalized communities
fusion of reality and fantasy
integration of indigenous beliefs and cosmologies
interweaving of history and myth
lack of surprise by characters at magical events
layered narrative perspectives
matter-of-fact tone toward magical events
metaphorical treatment of political violence
nonlinear sense of time
open-ended interpretations
ordinary characters experiencing extraordinary events
political and social commentary
subtle narrative voice
supernatural elements treated as ordinary
symbolic use of magical elements
unexplained miracles
use of hyperbole
use of myth and folklore in realistic settings
hasOrigin Latin America
influenced contemporary world literature
film
postcolonial literature
theatre
visual arts
influencedBy European modernist literature
indigenous cosmologies
modernism
mythic traditions
surrealism
usedFor critiquing political systems
exploring social realities
expressing cultural hybridity
questioning official histories
representing historical trauma
subverting realist conventions

Referenced by (3)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Gabriel García Márquez
Salman Rushdie ("magic realism")
movement
Surrealism ("Magic Realism")
influenced

Please wait…