WordValemagical realism
realistic narrative woven with matter-of-fact fantastical elements
In more detail
1. (noun) a style of fiction or visual art that blends realistic, everyday settings with magical or fantastical elements presented as normal, without explanation; 2. (noun) the realistic depiction of magical or impossible events in art or literature as if they were ordinary parts of life
Examples
- 1. Gabriel García Márquez's novel One Hundred Years of Solitude is a famous example of magical realism, where ghosts and supernatural events occur in an otherwise realistic Colombian village.
- 2. In magical realism paintings, you might see a person floating in mid-air or objects transforming, all rendered with careful realistic detail as though such things were everyday occurrences.
How to use magical realism
Magical realism is primarily used in literary and art criticism to describe works that seamlessly integrate fantastical or impossible elements into otherwise realistic narratives and settings without explanation or apology. It differs from pure fantasy in that the magical elements are presented matter-of-factly within a recognizable, often contemporary world. The term is most commonly applied to fiction but also describes visual art and film.
Common phrases
- magical realism novel
- magical realism literature
- magical realism in
- work of magical realism
- magical realism tradition
- embrace magical realism
Synonyms
magic realism · magical fiction · fantastic realism · surrealism
Word family
magical realist · magical realist (adjective) · magical realistically
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse magical realism with surrealism or fantasy; the key distinction is that magical realism grounds impossible events in realistic settings and treats them as normal, whereas surrealism emphasizes dreamlike distortion and fantasy emphasizes alternate worlds or explicit rule systems.
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