Literary Movement

Magical Realism

Mid-20th century

Overview

A mode in which the extraordinary is presented as ordinary within a realistic setting, often used to carry history, memory, and myth in Latin American fiction.

Key Figures

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Jorge Luis Borges, Isabel Allende

Key Works

Garcia Marquez's 'A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings' (1955), Borges's 'Ficciones' (1944)

Themes

  • The extraordinary in the ordinary
  • History and myth
  • Memory
  • Time

Sources and further reading

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