Observations on Magical Realism Essay - 1521 Words

Observations on Magical Realism What is magical realism? Many people have conflicting ideas about when and who first used the term. It is likely that most people are completely confused when confronted with this subject, but after they read a few papers on magical realism, it becomes a little clearer. The papers that Amaryll Chanady, Luis Leal, Angle Flores, Franz Roh, and Scott Simpkins wrote have been helpful in studying the history and theory of magical realism. Each paper has many good points in it, but the authors argue so much over who is right or wrong that it is hard to decide who to agree with. Angel Flores has several good points in his essay on magical realism. He says that it â€Å"has been studied mostly through the†¦show more content†¦He used â€Å"magical† instead of â€Å"mystical† to show that â€Å"the mystery does not descend to the represented world but rather hides and palpitates behind it† (qtd in Leal 120). Roh says, â€Å"Expressionism shows an exaggerated preference for fantastic, extraterrestrial, remote objects.† He also says that â€Å"it employs various techniques inherited from the previous period, techniques that endow all things with a deeper meaning and reveal mysteries that always threaten the secure tranquillity of simple and ingenuous things† (16-18). Then he states that Expressionism is shown by â€Å"varied designs of spherical, colored, and deformed shapes† while Impressionism is by â€Å"exquisite colors† (19). Roh believes that â€Å"Post-Expressionism offers is the miracle of exist ence in its imperturbable duration† (22). He then goes on to say that â€Å"this new art is situated resolutely between extremes, between vague sensuality and highly structured schematics, as true philosophy may be located between ingenuous realism and exalted idealism† (23). Art can also have a spiritual meaning. Roh says in art â€Å"the point is not to discover the spirit beginning with objects but, on the contrary, to discover objects beginning with the spirit† (24). Luis Leal disagrees with several of the things that Flores says. He believes that it was Roh, not Borges, that first used magical realism (120). He also states that itShow MoreRelated Magical Realism in Gabriel Garcia Marqezs A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings1069 Words   |  5 PagesCharacteristics of Magical Realism in Gabriel Garcia Marqezs A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings The controversy surrounding Magical Realism makes the classification of what is and what is not Magical Realism very difficult. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a famous Latin American author, has written many pieces of what is generally conceived to be Magical Realism. Marqezs A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings fulfills every characteristic of Magical Realism.. 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