Magic Realism in Wise Children by Angela Carter Essay...

Magic Realism in Wise Children by Angela Carter Magical realism is a primarily Latin American literary movement from the 1960s onwards, which integrates realistic portrayals of the ordinary with elements of fantasy and myths. The result of this is a rich but disturbing world that appears at once to be very dreamlike. The term ‘magical realism’ was first used by German art critic, Franz Roh, who said it was a way of depicting ‘the enigmas of reality’ and literary critic Isabel Allende has said that ‘in magic realism we find the transformation of the common and the everyday into the awesome and the unreal. It is predominantly an art of surprises. Time exists in a kind of fluidity and the unreal happens as part of reality. Once†¦show more content†¦Wise Children also conforms to magical realism because of its non-chronological sense of time, which is always fluid. Dora, the narrator, constantly jumps from the past back to the present and vice-versa. This often confuses the reader but always provides a smooth sense of rhythm and pace. Of course, the novel’s main association with magical realism is its many aspects and events which seem absurd, implausible and often extreme. There are so many twins and far too many coincidences and surprises that pop up throughout the novel. Also, the amount of incestual relationships being carried out seems very unlikely. Magical realism offers a view of the world that is not based on objective reality and natural order. However, it differs from fantasy as it is set in a normal world that includes an authentic portrayal of human life and society, but contains overtones of fiction and fantasy. Magical realism involves the union and challenging of opposites, and in the case of Wise Children, these opposites are life and death, past and present, high and low culture and legitimacy and illegitimacy. Indeed, plots in magical realist literature usually involve borders, change and mixing of two opposing ideas. There is certainly a border between the Hazards and the Chances, two families with very opposing views on life, but ultimately both families are thrown together and it is oneShow MoreRelatedquot;the Oppressive Power of Patriarchy in Angela Carters Novelsquot;794 Words   |  4 Pages We can read Angela Carter as both entertaining and a critique of constructions and presentations of power, gender, sexuality and construction of gendered identities. First we will consider the oppressive and destructive power of patriarchy which is the social system in which men are regarded as the authority within the family and society. Afterwards in the next chapter we will investigate how Carters heroines succeed in constructing their femininity and their gendered identities.