Magic Realism

1. Magic Realism What is Magic Realism?

2. About Magic Realism… • It is an art movement • It began during World War I • It is a representation of art with with elements of fantasy • Its goal is to tap into emotional reservoirs within all of us. • It tricks us, and makes us question what is real and what isn’t

3. About Magic Realism… • If it is a mix of art and fantasy, then what can constitute “art”? • Literature… • Magic realism is frequently used in literature as well as in art • Its goal is to represent the world around us in a new and unfamiliar way

4. Magic Realism • “Reality isn’t just ‘out there’, like some block of cement: reality is interpretation” • What is an example from your own life where you may interpret reality?

5. Why Magic Realism? • Why do you think that magic realism emerged during the decades of the 30’s 40’s and 50’s?

6. Magic Realism… • It is fantastic or mythical elements into seemingly realistic fiction. • Essentially, I like to think of magic realism as the blurring of the fantasy and reality worlds. • http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/my-crazy-obsession-cabbage-patch-playdate.html • http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/my-crazy-obsession-simply-wigging-out.html

7. Verisimilitude • This is another term used to discuss the notion of magic realism • Essentially, verisimilitude can be defined as the audience’s willingness to accept the semblance of reality in dramatic or non-dramatic fiction.

8. Verisimilitude • The author tries to present an experience in their story that incorporates science fiction or a tale of the supernatural in a way that will entice the audience to believe it is real • The audience must be willing to actively suspend their disbelieve and accept the improbable as true or possible within the framework of the narrative.

9. Suspension of Disbelief • “Fanatics do not have faith - they have belief. With faith you let go. You trust, whereas with belief you cling. One of the things I dicovered, reading the foudning texts of Islam, Christianity, Hinduism - a good religion works like a good novel: it makes you suspend your disbelief”

10. Suspension of Disbelief • What do you need to “let go” of or “trust” in order to suspend your disbelief? • What does Martel mean when he says that believers “cling”? • Why is it important to suspend your disbelief when reading a religious text, or believing in your own faith?

11. Suspension of Disbelief • The willing suspension of disbelief is when the audience can accept a certain level of implausibility in order to maintain the favourability of the story. • Suspension of disbelief becomes important for the story to be accepted and appreciated. • Can you think of an example where you have suspended your disbelief?

12. Reality • “In a sense we co-create our reality. And we do that all the time, every day. One day we wake up and we’re in a great mood: the city we live in is a beautiful city, the next day it’s an ugly city. That’s just the way we interpret things. We’re not free necessarily to choose the facts of our life, but there is an element of freedom in how we interpret them.”

13. Reality • How does the previous quote by Yann Martel relate to the videos that you watched?

14. Journal Response Write a true account of an unbelievable or unlikely experience you have had. If you cannot think of such an experience, you may choose an experience you have had and exaggerate it, or create one entirely. Once you have decided on an account, layer on an element of magic realism!