Comments for http://www.trenthergenrader.com Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:26:11 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on "Magical Realism in Spanish American Literature" by Luis Leal by Trent Hergenrader http://www.trenthergenrader.com/2009/03/magical-realism-in-spanish-american-literature-by-luis-leal/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Trent Hergenrader Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:26:11 +0000 http://www.trenthergenrader.com/2009/03/magical-realism-in-spanish-american-literature-by-luis-leal/#comment-3 Hi Ximena, thanks for writing. I am primarily a fiction writer myself and my works tend to feature some non-realistic element, and I too am trying to get to the bottom of why I write what I do, and how this works with (or against) definitions of magic realism and the fantastic.<br /><br />Many of the essays I've read (I'm a bit behind on posting summaries) explain magic realism as a major component of postmodern literature, but predictably the next problem comes in trying to define the postmodern! However your comment about our "multiple conditions" fits right in with the idea that there isn't a single reality all people from all cultures (and all times) have experienced, and this kind of fragmentation is a major part of most definitions of the postmodern. Anytime there is a pushback against the purely rationalistic, white, Eurocentric, Judeo-Christian worldview, a hint of magical realism is often present. Thanks again for writing and I hope to get some new content up soon. I think you would like the Farris and Zamora book, too. Hi Ximena, thanks for writing. I am primarily a fiction writer myself and my works tend to feature some non-realistic element, and I too am trying to get to the bottom of why I write what I do, and how this works with (or against) definitions of magic realism and the fantastic.

Many of the essays I’ve read (I’m a bit behind on posting summaries) explain magic realism as a major component of postmodern literature, but predictably the next problem comes in trying to define the postmodern! However your comment about our “multiple conditions” fits right in with the idea that there isn’t a single reality all people from all cultures (and all times) have experienced, and this kind of fragmentation is a major part of most definitions of the postmodern. Anytime there is a pushback against the purely rationalistic, white, Eurocentric, Judeo-Christian worldview, a hint of magical realism is often present. Thanks again for writing and I hope to get some new content up soon. I think you would like the Farris and Zamora book, too.

]]> Comment on "Magical Realism in Spanish American Literature" by Luis Leal by soundingunderground http://www.trenthergenrader.com/2009/03/magical-realism-in-spanish-american-literature-by-luis-leal/comment-page-1/#comment-2 soundingunderground Sat, 30 May 2009 10:33:32 +0000 http://www.trenthergenrader.com/2009/03/magical-realism-in-spanish-american-literature-by-luis-leal/#comment-2 Hi Trent. Very interesting your blog. I studied these issues of Magic Realism for my undergraduate degree (17 years ago) and I am trying to refresh my knowledge, because I describe some of my work as having "magical" elements, and I wanted to clarify what do I mean with it. It happens too that I am Colombian, and I was convinced that statements like the one made by Leal " an attitude toward reality that can be expressed in popular or cultured forms..." make sense to me. Also, that Magic Realism is not something that is attached only to literature. In our dissertation we were analysing a Colombian TV Program that had elements of Magic Realism. I think that in fact, it cannot reduced just to a Latinoamerican reality, but probably it's experienced with more strenght in our reality for multiple conditions (mixed culture, economy, politics, history). I have lived in Europe and now I live in the UK. When I visit my country I can perceive Magic Realism, that I cannot in other places in an easy manner out of Latinoamerica. It's part of our daily life. However I think it's possible to stimulate this attitude in certain spaces and situations in many different cultures and that are part of our contemporary condition. Well, these are my thoughts now... thanks for your blog.<br /><br />The best in your PhD,<br /><br />Ximena Hi Trent. Very interesting your blog. I studied these issues of Magic Realism for my undergraduate degree (17 years ago) and I am trying to refresh my knowledge, because I describe some of my work as having “magical” elements, and I wanted to clarify what do I mean with it. It happens too that I am Colombian, and I was convinced that statements like the one made by Leal ” an attitude toward reality that can be expressed in popular or cultured forms…” make sense to me. Also, that Magic Realism is not something that is attached only to literature. In our dissertation we were analysing a Colombian TV Program that had elements of Magic Realism. I think that in fact, it cannot reduced just to a Latinoamerican reality, but probably it’s experienced with more strenght in our reality for multiple conditions (mixed culture, economy, politics, history). I have lived in Europe and now I live in the UK. When I visit my country I can perceive Magic Realism, that I cannot in other places in an easy manner out of Latinoamerica. It’s part of our daily life. However I think it’s possible to stimulate this attitude in certain spaces and situations in many different cultures and that are part of our contemporary condition. Well, these are my thoughts now… thanks for your blog.

The best in your PhD,

Ximena

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