In anticipation of my reading One Hundred Years of Solitude, I, in my research, have looked up the term magical realism, which plays a large role in this novel. I'm not sure I entirely grasp the concept-- though I liken it to the technique in Scrubs. Perhaps it's because such things, especially in literature, never seem to strike me as odd or difficult or anything apart from reality. So to categorize it muddies my understanding of its sequellas.
And I am serious: if I should run into a unicorn while on walk, I would not be the least bit surprised. If a lamppost should turn into an elephant, I would not be surprised. If both daylight and night grow longer but the day length remains the same, I would not be surprised.
Suppose for a second that a reality television producer, fresh of his latest success of putting 6 animals (lion, zebra, fly, monkey, dog, cat) and 3 Hot People in a house for 10 weeks and allowing America to vote each one off based on a serious of challenges that involves, but is not limited to, surviving, decides to further push the limits. He or she pitches the concept of magical realism in this fashion. Assembled would be Chewbacca, Frodo, a Gummi Bear, Captain Kirk, Hari Seldon, and three randomly selected Americans who are extremely good-looking and who also think they can dance. Let the mayhem ensue!
Magical Reality T.V. : One Ring, In a Galaxy Far, Far Away, Bouncing Here and There And Everywhere, Boldly Going Where No Man Has Gone Before, uh Who's Hari Seldon? And The Hottest Contests Ever To Be See Dancing On T.V.! This Thursday @ 9pm.
Garcia Marquez would be proud.
6 comments:
Good to see you are doing most of your "research" on wikipedia.
I also want to add that you have read far too much Chesterton if you wouldn't be surprised to see a unicorn. That would freak me out!
Wikipedia is quickly becoming reliable. Not infallible, like, say the news, but reliable for sufficing precises on a variety of topics. Great for backgrounding ideas, concepts, settings, figures, etc..
Second, as for unicorns, this is why you need to read more fiction.
More Thoughts Magical Realism:
Gabo and the "genre" merely tell stories the way grandmothers told them. I fully embrace that art of storytelling in the examples I've seen. When, in all the hindsight and the life-experience, the teller possess the ability to relate the reality of their life with a definite sense of the metaphor.
Call it what you will. I call it a story.
Is this what is going on in the movie "Big Fish"?
I know who Hari Seldon is and I appreciate the revealing of this character that has been dormant for decades. Live on IA!
I knew one person in my readership would know who Hari Seldon was.
And I think a definite sense of the metaphor is what's going on in Big Fish. Good call.
How have you not read that book yet?? You'll love it.
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