Magical Realism and Mans Search for Meaning :: Literature Essays Literary Criticism

Magical Realism and Man's Search for Meaning Five Works Cited Real life experiences that happen in a person's life are important, and these are what magical realism is all about. The meaning of life is wrapped all into our way of living. The world is full of passion and magic and without this passion and magic the world would not exist. Victor Frankl, a 2oth century psychiatrist, had this passion as well as a lot of other people who have survived many obstacles in their lives. Magic is the marvelous in reality. Everyday living is magic alone, trying to survive the rat race of today's society, yet the marvelous is there, too. Simpkins spoke of the marvelous, fantastic, and other things pertaining to magical realism (146). Simpkins states that magical realism appears to overcome the "limits" of realism (145). Leal also has given his opinion of the magic and the passion of magical realism. Leal spoke of the emotions that magical realism has. He states that magical realism is unreal and fantasy like fairy tales or made up stories (119). Leal states that the job of magical realism is to express the emotions not evoke them (121). A writer must confront reality and try to untangle it (121). In magical realism, key events have no logic or explanation (123). Frankl, in his book Man's Search for Meaning, addresses some of the same issues that are associated with magical realism. Frankl's will to meaning is used in distinguishing several forms of neurosis and traces some of them to the failure of the sufferer to find meaning and sense of responsibility in his existence. Freud stresses frustration in the sexual life, and Frankl stresses frustration in the will-to-meaning (9). Frankl refers to the strategies to preserve the remnants of one's life though the chances of surviving are slight. Hunger, humiliation, fear, and deep anger at injustice are rendered tolerable by closely guarded images of beloved persons, by religion, by a grim sense of humor, and even by glimpses of the healing beauties of nature-a tree or a sunset (10). Frankl noticed that people who survived the horrors of the nazi concentration camps had purpose. The reasons for their survival is Frankle's will to meaning. Comparing Like Water for Chocolate Frankl's Man's search for Meaning gives a great discussion of the magical in reality. Both stories had passion in the people's lives, enough to make the magical realism show.