Magical Realism and Psychology Essay - 754 Words

Magical Realism and Psychology Magical realism was first used by the art critic Franz Roh to designate the pictorial output of the Postexpressionist period, beginning around 1925 (Leal 120). Later, this term was applied to forms of literature. This type of literature contains characteristics such as real and unreal elements, no hesitation, and hidden meanings. Given these and other characteristics, it is easy to see that magical realism can be applied to things outside of literature, such as psychology. In magical realism stories, the places and things are real and unreal at the same time. Luis Leal states that what used to be called empirical reality, or the world, seems to have become more and more unreal, and what has long†¦show more content†¦According to Hearne and Melbourne, One compelling reason for the rapid suppression of most dream material could be that it might otherwise become confused with real events and memories (43). C. G. Jung stated that the persona is that which in reality one is not, but which oneself as well as others think one is (qtd. in Stevens 212). In other words, a person is not what himself or herself and others think that person is. Like magical realism, dreams are both real and unreal. They seem real while a person is having them, and they can have effects on real life. One example of this tension between real and unreal would be: When Adolf Hitler was in World War I, he dreamed he was buried by a shell. Disturbed by the dream, he wandered into no mans land. Suddenly a shell hit where he had been sleeping and killed all his comrades. (Hearne and Melbourne 26). Because of his dream, Hitler lived. Borges story The Circular Ruins shows how dreams can be related to magical realism. In this story, the main character wants to dream into life a man. His son will be created in such a way that all creatures except fire itself and the dreamer would believe him to be a man of flesh and blood (28). At the end of the story when the dreamer is standing in fire and does not get burnt, he realizes that he, too, was dreamt by another (29). This fictional situation is like actual dreams; the dreamer andShow MoreRelatedThoreaus Overall Message In Walden1133 Words   |  5 Pageshere. God himself culminates in the present moment, and will never be more divine in the lapse of all the ages.) List 3 three characteristics of magical realism? A metamorphosis takes place but it’s a commodity. Having angels, ghosts in the story but using them in an unusual way. Objects may have their own lives to live. How is magical realism used and Metamorphosis? Well for starters the lead character that gets turned into a cockroach without any explanation. Instead of Gregor tryingRead MoreMagical Realism As A Sense Of Psychological Mystery And Wonder3415 Words   |  14 PagesMagical realism, at its very root, has always involved a sense of psychological mystery and wonder; partly due to its intended audience, which may range from mere children to adults seeking a sense of spirituality or morality through verbatim. Psychology involves in particular the study of cognitive occurrences and processes. Magical realism can broadly be defined as a typically mundane novel injected with â€Å"the other,† which is something extraordinary or unbelievable. With the outlandish schemesRead MoreEssay on Like water for chocolate6961 Words   |  28 PagesLike Water for Chocolate ~Laura Esquivel~ Ms. Diamond Name_________________________________ Magical Realism At about the middle of the 19th century (when scientific objectivity became â€Å"vogue†), the influence of many social forces caused aesthetic taste to change from romantic idealism to realism. 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Timmerman (1983) describes the fantasy genre as â€Å"offering a parallel reality which gives us a renewed awareness of what we already know† – for example,  "A child may well believe a report that there are ogres in the next country, while many grown-up persons find it easy to believe of another country†. (JRR Tolkien). However, realism is defined by childliterature.net as â€Å"depicting the world as it is, not