The book post entitled “Phoenix Slouching” introduces the novel’s first reference to an extraordinary event, occurring in an otherwise mundane existence and places it within the genre of Magic Realism.
From Wikipedia: “Magic realism or magical realism is a genre where magical or unreal elements play a natural part in an otherwise realistic (often mundane) environment. Although it is most commonly used as a literary genre, magic realism also applies to film and the visual arts.”
I became fascinated with the genre of magic realism after living in Brazil for a year as an exchange student, in 1990-1991. In university, I completed a course in Latin American Writer’s and delved further into the intricacies of this writing style. Highly politically motivated, modern magic realism often focuses upon the marginalization of various groups, due to race, religion, or gender.
The magic realism took root in the 1940’s – 1950’s in visual arts and then literature—an era that will be explored later in the novel, Life By Fire.
Notes:
Read a short story example of writing typical to the genre of magic realism in the related post below, entitled “Homecoming”.
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