Studies in Postcolonial Literature (365-0-20)
Topic
Magical Realisms
Instructors
Kalyan Nadiminti
Meeting Info
Harris Hall L28: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM
Overview of class
Novels often describe real and complete worlds that are proximate to our own, with entirely imaginary people living their daily lives in a continuous hut parallel universe. But what happens when the contract with the "real world" is broken? How do we understand novels that reanimate myths, folktales, and legends not outside of, but within the real? What new worlds emerge and how might they interfere with the real? Around 1950, Latin American writers began to break away from "realist" writing to explore a realm between the real and the magical, giving rise to what is now the established style of "magical realism." Following the "Boom" period of Latin American writing, magical realism became a household style for South Asian and American literatures, ranging from Salman Rushdie to Toni Morrison. Throughout the quarter, we examine the evolution of the style from its nascent critique of Latin American dictatorship to its struggle with postcolonial disappointment to the open transhistorical wound of the Atlantic slave trade. The course charts an inquiry into a revolt against the dictates of the real and considers how the deployment of this style can yield significant political interventions. Texts will include texts like Gabriel Garcia Marquez's The Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses, a Toni Morrison's Beloved. The course will also foray into theories around magical realism and its variations. Assignments comprise one close reading paper, in-class presentations, and a creative zine exploring magical realism.
Teaching Method
Discussion/seminar.
Evaluation Method
Attendance/participation/papers.
Class Materials (Required)
Alejo Carpentier, The Kingdom of This World, ISBN-13: 978-0374537388
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, The Chronicle of a Death Foretold, ISBN-13: 978-1400034710
Salman Rushdie, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, ISBN-13: 978-0140157376
Toni Morrison, Beloved, ISBN-13: 978-1400033416
Class Attributes
Advanced Expression
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Pre-registration -- Reserved for English and Creative Writing students.