Event Title
Depictions of Death: Applications of Magic Realism in The Kingdom of This World
Presentation Type
Panel
Presenter Major(s)
Communications - Communication Studies, Spanish
Mentor Information
Médar Serrata
Department
Modern Languages and Literatures
Start Date
11-4-2012 12:00 AM
Keywords
Culture, Death and Dying, Philosophy/ Literature, Religion
Abstract
In his prologue to The Kingdom of This World, Alejo Carpentier defines his theory of lo real maravilloso as a world where marvelous and seemingly magical occurrences transpire within reality. After defining his concepts in the prologue, Carpentier uses the rest of the novel to further illustrate his assertions. One of the clearest demonstrations of Magic Realism exists in the depictions of death within the novel. These instances demonstrate the importance of faith and loyalty in the application of Magic Realism. The characters that remain steadfast in the beliefs of their culture experience the possibility of an existence after death. They continue to live in a world both real and magical. However, those characters who abandon their culture, although they try to repent, suffer a definitive death without hope for more.
Depictions of Death: Applications of Magic Realism in The Kingdom of This World
In his prologue to The Kingdom of This World, Alejo Carpentier defines his theory of lo real maravilloso as a world where marvelous and seemingly magical occurrences transpire within reality. After defining his concepts in the prologue, Carpentier uses the rest of the novel to further illustrate his assertions. One of the clearest demonstrations of Magic Realism exists in the depictions of death within the novel. These instances demonstrate the importance of faith and loyalty in the application of Magic Realism. The characters that remain steadfast in the beliefs of their culture experience the possibility of an existence after death. They continue to live in a world both real and magical. However, those characters who abandon their culture, although they try to repent, suffer a definitive death without hope for more.