Intro to Magical Realism: Roots, Ideas, and Examples

Capturing elements of the supernatural and combining it with the existence of the natural world, magical realism settles itself firmly in the reader's reality. Magical realism most defining characteristics distinguishes the genre from similar styles, by allowing the author to develop the mystical enviorment in a human world. 

Magical realism is structured around three main ideas: 

• Time isn't straightforward, or linear: The plot can be developed either by going back in time, remaining with the present, or exploring the future. Things such as premonitions and ghost contribute to the elements of time, as the "narrative time sequence reflect a reality, outside of time" (
• Causality is subjective: Rather than the author linking obvious elements of the plot, similar words and descriptions are used to link ideas together. 
• Reality and the Supernatural exist together: Reality and the mystic exist together without question, meaning that anything presented has to be accepted as a part of the supernatural world. Which also means that things average in our world, might be seen as odd in the magical realist's world. 

 The roots of magical realism are cemented in Latin American culture taking place primarily in the mid-20th century, and was used to criticize the class and social system during the time. In literature, magical realism is often confused with surrealism; however, the surrealist movement has elements of fantasy, whereas magical realism has the supernatural realm blending with a familiar world while capturing the mysterious nature of reality. The idea of magical realism expanded into European and American literature, and evolved into modern artistic endeavors. Though magical realism was primarily a mid-century Latin American movement, there are modern traces of the genre - partial links in today's work. 

The popularity of the genre is evident with the superhero movies or more specifically the Harry Potter series. Each story is set in the natural world, filled with normal humans who follow natural human law. What makes the experience unique is the supernatural qualities that are considered normal. For instance, the merging of the two worlds in Harry Potter. Many of the students at Hogwarts are completely accustom to both the Muggle and the Wizard world, and move within the worlds without issue. Magic is incorporated within their everyday lives: government, entertainment, communication. For the world of Harry Potter, magic isn't seen as weird, but treated as a necessity. An visual representation of the normality and necessity of magic would be at Gringotts Bank:

Though a broad and all encompassing subject, there are characteristics that make it inherently magical realist:

• Story is set in an otherwise supernatural world that captures familiar historical and or cultural realities. It usually involves something you see in real life and changing it in a way that is magical and or impossible. 

• Story events are not always explained by universal laws or familiar logic.

• Story derives and contains influences of oral tradition such as fables, myths and tall tales.

• May enhance a message or personalized point of view that is often revealed through ideas, voices and places which exist outside the mainstream perspective.  

The movie Avatar is a good example of magical realism that is heavy with the genre's characteristics. This movie is set in a different world where humans land on a the toxic planet, Pandora. But despite the planet's harmful environment, the planet has many benefits. Scientists use the indigenous people's to create avatars so they can befriend the Na'vi people. While searching for a rare mineral, the main character, Jake Sully, grows sympathy towards the tribe.

 The tribe is symbolic to the plight and destruction of the Native Americans and their first interactions with the explorers. The land of the Na'vi tribe is invaded by people who want to profit off of them and end up taking advantage of what the natives have to offer. They're members of a different species living on Pandora and paired with the political implications - magical realism takes place within the plot line.  The scarce mineral necessary for energy could represent oil, and the primitive Na’vi could stand for citizens of third world nations who have resources needed by more modern countries. 

Magical realism is a broad topic that covers a variety of works. Not only do we see it with modern literature, but with other books such as One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende, and Garden of Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. Though we'll be focusing on Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, we can still see elements of magical realism in our everyday life. Whether reading our horoscope or throwing coins into a fountain, magic incorporates itself into our very being.  

Works Cited

"Magical Realism." Magical Realism. Dallas Baptist University, n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. <http://www3.dbu.edu/mitchell/magical.htm>.

Sellman K, Tara. Deefholts, Susan. “Magical Realsim Distinguishing Features.” O, The Oprah Magazine. 20 January 2014. Web. 09 March 2015

Rogers, Bruce Holland. "What Is Magical Realism, Really?" What Is Magical Realism, Really? N.p., 2002. Web. 09 Mar. 2015. <http://www.writing-world.com/sf/realism.shtml>.


Zamora, Lois Parkinson and Wendy B. Faris. Ed. Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Durham: Duke UP, 1995