What is Magical Realism?
Magical realism, or marvelous realism, is a genre of narrative fiction. While Magical realism encompasses a range of subtly different concepts, it also expresses a primarily realistic view of the world while also adding or revealing magical elements. Magical realism can be found in most art forms throughout the world, however the literary movement of it was spearheaded by Latin American Authors. Just as the fantastic and magical elements are presented as normal, the standard structure of reality is put into question. Essentially, magical realism is a chance for authors to show an alternative to an accepted reality.
Beloved and Magical Realism
Beloved is written in the tradition of magical realism. The characters in beloved take supernatural happenings as a part of their otherwise normal lives. For example, Sethe does not question the fact that the ghost of her baby lives in her house; it is just there. The element of the ghost of Sethe's baby in the book seems to be unresolved. We are given a rational alternative to Beloved's identity, but we are never told if it's true. In fact, the novel seems to suggest that the ghost explanation is the 'right one.'
It is often said that magical realism is a literary form which gives expression to the to the story of the oppressed - never is this more apparent than in Beloved.
I find Morrison's stylistic choice of using the magic realism you distinguished is revealing of how each person in that actual time period may have gone through life. For me, the idea that one can readily accept ghosts is a decision made internally; thus, the novel seems like a stream of consciousness style, letting us into the minds of characters who would be living this reality in the late 19th century. I appreciate the unique approach to the reading, and I think it can create opportunities for empathy in a different way.
ReplyDeleteMorrison's decision to start the book with seemingly no introduction also immerses us into the story in a stream of consciousness style, as Ella mentioned. It feels more seamless in transitions than "The Stranger" did, mostly because of the languid sentences and the fluid writing prose.
ReplyDelete