Magic realism

Magic realism, magical realism or marvelous realism is a style or genre of fiction and art that presents a realistic view of the world while incorporating magical elements, often blurring the lines between fantasy and reality.^[1] Magical realism is the most commonly used of the three terms and refers to literature in particular.^[2]: 1–5 Magic realism often refers to literature in particular, with magical or supernatural phenomena presented in an otherwise real-world or mundane setting, commonly found in novels and dramatic performances.^[2]: 1–5 In his article “Magical Realism in Spanish American Literature”, Luis Leal explains the difference between magic literature and magical realism, stating that, “Magical realism is not magic literature either. Its aim, unlike that of magic, is to express emotions, not to evoke them.”^[3] Despite including certain magic elements, it is generally considered to be a different genre from fantasy because magical realism uses a substantial amount of realistic detail and employs magical elements to make a point about reality, while fantasy stories are often separated from reality.^{[4][5][6][7][8][9][10]} Magical realism is often seen as an amalgamation of real and magical elements that produces a more inclusive writing form than either literary realism or fantasy.^[5]