Magical realism is when magical elements are brought into a realistic setting in order to find a deeper understanding and meaning of reality. Elements are like normal instances that are presented in a simple and clear-cut manner which allows the "real" and "fantastic" to be seen the same setting. This book tests reality. What seems to be real is not and Juan finds things out about his life and reality that he had not known was there before. For example, when he first meets the Abundio on his travels to find his father, Pedro Paramo, Abundio says that he was his father too. Everything begins to unravel and piece together. This story questions illusion and reality. Juan is searching for answers on basic elements of life such as life and death, love, sex, and religion.
The first entity is life and death. Juan was on his journey to search for his father when he comes across a fellow traveler Abundio who helps Juan find Comala. The story goes from normal and “real” to extraordinary and fantastic when we find out that Abundio is actually dead. We also find out that Eduviges was also a ghost, and finally that everyone in the town is as well. Also, when Juan first meets Eduviges she tells him that his mother had told her that he was coming, and again, his mother was dead too. “She told me you would be coming. Today, in fact. That you would be coming today…So that was why her voice was so weak, like it had to travel a long distance to get here. Now I understand. And when did she die?” (10).
The second entity affected is the sense of time. Once Juan has reached Comala the story becomes timeless. Juan keeps having flashbacks and the story consistently goes back and forth from past to present. Also, when he is staying with Eduviges and is sleeping the first night he notes how hours and hours pass. The story shifts from the present time while Juan is in Comala, he reminisces back to times with his mother and grandmother. Also, when he hears the stories of the ghost about his father the time shifts to when he was alive.
This book tests reality. What seems to be real is not, it is hard to distinguish reality from the imaginary. Juan finds things out about his life that he had not known before. For example, when he first meets the Abundio on his travels to find his father Abundio says that Pedro Paramo he was his father too. Throughout the story everything begins to unravel and piece together. This story questions illusion and reality. Juan is questioned by the basic elements of life such as life and death, love, sex, and religion.
ReplyDeleteThe first entity is life and death. Throughout the story the dead and living interact as one. While on his journey Abundio helps Juan find Comala. The story goes from real to fantastic when we find out that Abundio is actually dead. We also find out that Eduviges was also a ghost, and finally that everyone in the town is dead as well. Also, when Juan first meets Eduviges she tells him that his mother had told her that he was coming, and his mother had died prior to his encounter with her. “She told me you would be coming. Today, in fact. That you would be coming today…So that was why her voice was so weak, like it had to travel a long distance to get here. Now I understand. And when did she die?” (10).
The second entity affected is the sense of time. Once Juan has reached Comala the story becomes timeless. Juan keeps having flashbacks and the story consistently goes back and forth from past to present, making it hard to distinguish the two. Also, when he is staying with Eduviges and is sleeping the first night he notes how hours and hours pass. The story shifts from the present time while Juan is in Comala, he reminisces back to times with his mother and grandmother. Also, when he hears the stories of the ghost about his father the time shifts to when he was alive.
Using these entities Rulfo is trying to show how connected the Mexican culture is with the dead. They have a much stronger relationship and belief with the dead than the American culture. The living is able to communicate with the dead and interact with them. This is rooted from their strong belief in spirits and the afterlife.