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

Magic Realism in Wise Children by Angela Carter sorcerous realism is a primarily Latin American literary movement fromthe 1960s onwards, which integrates realistic portrayals of the quotidian with elements of fantasy and myths. The result of this is arich but move world that appears at once to be very dreamlike.The term magical realism was first used by German art critic, FranzRoh, who said it was a way of depicting the enigmas of universe andliterary critic Isabel allende has said that in magic realism we figurethe transformation of the common and the everyday into the awesome andthe unreal. It is predominantly an art of surprises. while exists in akind of fluidity and the unreal happens as slice of reality. Once thereader accepts the fait accompli, the rest follows with logicalprecision.Many critics have associated Angela Carters style of writing withmagical realism, a term which refers to a writer portraying imaginaryor improbable elements in a realistic, ordinary way. The n ovelconforms to the device of magical realism through the use ofreferences and allusions to Shakespeare in that location are five chapters, justas there are ever so five acts in a Shakespearean comedy Dora and Noralive on Bard Road art imitates life when Ranulph plays Othello, latercatches his wife in bed with someone else and kills them and himselfalso, Tiffany is a reflection of Ophelia, driven mad by love, when shehas a breakdown on a live TV granular show there are disguises, twins,mistaken identities and love problems, all key out elements ofShakespearean comedy. This kind of intertextuality is a subtlemanifestation of magical realism. All the Shakespearean-stylevillainy, comic relief and intricate plot elemen... ...down to earth when Doramentions that a zookeeper came in short after with a net to recapture thebeautiful insects. This is a sinless example of magical realism.As mentioned before, magical realism has its dark and disturbing side,and this is apparent in Wise C hildren. When Saskia, Doras enemy, is alittle girl, she is seen savagely devouring the carcass of a roastedswan. Later in life, Saskia becomes a TV cook and seems to takesadistic pleasure in disembodying animals.Magical realism is combined with carnivalesque literature in WiseChildren to create a flamboyant, theatrical world within a humble,earthy reality. Both genres approval each other in the novel, asboth involve fantasy-like events and nightmarish imagery, andelaborate, rational explanations are used by Carter to encouragereaders to suspend their disbelief, if lonesome(prenominal) for a moment.