Magical realism is a literary genre that depicts the real world with elements of magic or fantasy. Although it is most commonly associated with Latin American authors, the first example of magical realism is considered to be <em>The Metamorphosis </em>- a novella written by Franz Kafka. It tells the story of a salesman Gregor Samsa, who wakes one morning to find himself transformed into a huge insect and afterward struggles to adjust to his new form.
Some of the elements of stories that belong to the magical realism are:
realistic setting
magical elements
limited information - the magic remains unexplained in order to normalize it as much as possible and make it feel like a part of everyday life.
critique - magical realism is often used to criticize society.
unique plot structure - there is often no clear beginning, middle, and end, which provides the reader with an intense reading experience.
