Welcome to the topic of Magical Realism and Realism in Latin America. In this topic we are going to talk about the themes of mystical realms in real places and also the power of choice. These are the themes that we are going to focus on. The first two authors are about the magical realism and the last two authors are going to be about realism of choice. I will give you my perspective of the readings. Let’s begin…
Octavio Paz
The Poetry of Octavio Paz is like the epitome of magical realism. The poem, “I Speak Of The City”, was written deeply in magical imagery that was similar to the festive movies paying homage to the Day of the Dead. The city seem to come to life at night. It may seem like a regular city in the daylight but at night it is for wondering ghosts and more creepy enchantment. It seems like the city hosts both the dead and the living. It seems like the dwelling place is a parallel world between the dead and the living, serving different times zones.
Theme
The theme lies within the city where the mysterious dwells. The mysticism of the poem is very lively and makes you believe that you are there. Kind of similar to having experienced a Harry Potter film. The creepiness and the liveliness of the city speaks volumes. I find it festive and similar to the festivities of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The Day of the Dead is a perfect holiday to share such a poem. I honestly think that the high school kids may enjoy this reading.
More About the Poet: https://www.thoughtco.com/octavio-paz-4769379
Jorge Luis Borges
In “The Garden of Forking Paths”, it had the same kind of enchantment but it had realism in it because of the circumstances that surround the main character. The story talks about two people that are against each other and how the main characters ancestor was T’sui Pen, a governor that seem to understand the differences of time and parallel universes. This was the first time I have read any story thus far in this blog that talks about different dimensions and parallel time zones and diverse futures that one could possibly choose from. I find it interesting that it took a scientific approach to magical realism. I enjoyed the story because I have an interest in that. I find it very interesting.
Theme
In this theme it speaks of a recreation of the Garden of T’sui Pen. I think that this is mystical with a scientific twist. In this theme it talks about the parallel worlds and each multi-dimension is considered a single person making a different choice in each dimension. Thus experiencing different things as a collective. The decendant read all of the writings that his ancestor has written. He is intrigued by the notion. I find it magical because of this reason. It reminds me of Thor: Dark World where different dimensions were merging into one. One can only wonder if something like that really does exist?
Analysis: https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/garden-forking-paths/themes/time
Pablo Neruda
In the Poem, “Walking Around”, the protagonist of the poem is sick of being a man. He is trapped by doing the same things at the same time. He wanted to do something different. He wanted to know what it felt like to do something different. However, at the end of the poem, he realized that the still had to do the same things and that others may have felt the same way too.
Theme
This theme results into choice. Its similar to the theme we explored in our first blog ever on Unveiling Literature however, this brings a more realistic twist. I find that this man is stuck in a paradox of decisions that make him want to choose different. He notices that people are making the same choices everyday and not really changing anything. I find it interesting because its like the Matrix movie where Neo had to make a choice to know the truth or be stuck in the Matrix forever. Matrix means an environment or material in which something develops; a surrounding medium or structure. The choices that humans make is what causes insanity. However, he feels powerless because he doesn’t think that anything will change.
Analysis: https://study.com/academy/lesson/walking-around-by-pablo-neruda-summary-analysis.html
Gabriel Garcia-Marquez
In “Death Constant Beyond Love”, the senator was dying and he went through the motions of delivering his speech and met a woman named Laura. Her father asked for the senator to straighten out his situation. He said that he will straighten his situation and he told Laura to rest beside him. Only to die in the same position when he was not in her presence. This was more so choice. He chose to help her father to be with her and did not been able to be with her but only a short while.
Theme
The senator had to make a choice between what he really wanted. To be with Laura and straighten out her father’s situation or continue things like they have always been. This kind of reminds me of the Biblical story of Samson and Dahlia. Samson wanted to be with her however she wanted to kill him. She was eventually successful. However, he used his strength to take down the Philistines. Maybe not quite that parallel, but parallel in a sense that both the senator and Samson chose love over there position and to be honest both were inching at their death beds. Both didn’t quite get what they wanted or felt true love from any of the women they wish to be with. However, because they were in love was able to take the risk.
Isabel
Allende
In “And Of Clay We Are Created”, a man named Ralf was trying to save a little girl from the mud. She was trapped. He was trying to save her and despite all of his efforts he couldn’t. However, talking with her and telling her stories of his time as a reporter, he, then, unlocked a side of him that was buried deep inside. He kept all of his painful memories away while growing up but the little girl unlocked them all. He was faced with all of the painful memories and broken down like a little helpless boy. In the end, the little girl died but what she did for him was made him face all of the anger, resentment and fears he had bottled up inside that he didn’t even tell his wife. He faced them and he seemed amused, sad and felt compassion for the little girl. In that story I believe that the true side of Ralf was set free.
Theme
This is a realistic choice kind of theme. However, this is like a person who is on a mission to know themselves. Ralf covered all of the bad things that he kept hidden as a child and then had to face them all over again. The pain, the resentment and the trauma came and hit him like a ton of bricks. He felt helpless. Not only for the little girl that eventually died at the end but for himself because he had to be able to fight all of those demons at the end of the day. This is similar to the movie “The Equalizer” with Denzel Washington. When one girl who was kidnapped changed his life and had to result to what he abandoned long ago to save her. Same for the movie called “Taken” with Liam Neeson.
Anaylsis: https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/and-clay-are-we-created
What Will Students Learn From This?
The students will be able to exercise their mind with magical realism and Latin Culture as well as Realism and understanding the power of choice. This may be the most challenging worksheet yet, because I really want them to test their minds and really use their critical thinking skills to access the cause and effect about a choice. Of course using their own circumstances or situations. That is why this Reflection Sheet is only going to consist of 2 questions. One a comparison and one using a cause and effect situation to understand the power of choice.
Pop Culture
I want to be able to reinstate my favorite reading. Call me bias but I really like Octavio Paz’s work in “I Speak Of The City”. The best pop culture movie I can think of that best describes my interpretation of what I have read is the movie, Coco. Coco, is about a young spanish boy learning about his ancestors and how they came to life during the day of the dead and showed him many things. Things that he was not aware of. I really thought that this was a wholesome movie but also a creative one. I think its a good interpretation for those who are not quite familiar with the holiday and would like to know about it form a more simplistic way.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rvr68u6k5sI
References
Pucher, Martin. (2012). The Norton Anthology of World Literature.
Rebecca Bodenheimer, Ph.D. (2019). Octavio Paz, Mexican Poet, Writer, and Nobel Prize Winner. https://www.thoughtco.com/octavio-paz-4769379
Shmoop. (2021). The Garden of Forking Paths Time. https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/garden-forking-paths/themes/time
Study.com. (2021). Walking Around by Pablo Neruda: Summary and Analysis. https://study.com/academy/lesson/walking-around-by-pablo-neruda-summary-analysis.html
Baruch. (2013). Death Constant Beyond Love. https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/greatworks540spring2013/2013/05/05/death-%E2%80%A9constant-%E2%80%A9beyond-%E2%80%A9love/
Encyclopedia.com. (2021). And Of Clay We Are Created. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/and-clay-are-we-created
Bridges, Carmen. (2021).
Reflection Sheet: Magical Realism and Realism in Latin America.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nrv-8PTmVwaXVfnP_NnHlAucvFX7dnjljMs12pRk8h0/edit?usp=sharing&urp=gmail_link
Molina, Adrain & Unkrich, Lee. (2017). Coco. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rvr68u6k5sI
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