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Chapter 11 - East Asian Magical Realism

from Part II - Development

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 October 2020

By
Ben Holgate
Edited by
Christopher Warnes  and
Kim Anderson Sasser
Christopher Warnes
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
Kim Anderson Sasser
Affiliation:
Wheaton College, Illinois
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Summary

This chapter argues that the proliferation of magical realist fiction in East Asia since the 1980s is a testament to both the narrative mode’s adaptability in cultures beyond the West and different authors’ ability to refashion magical realist elements into distinctive styles of writing that draw on local literary traditions and influences. Magical realism in East Asia reflects a shared approach to addressing contemporary issues that result from modernity, rapid economic development and increasing integration between East and West, the erosion of traditional cultures and values, authoritarian political regimes and environmental degradation. This chapter focuses primarily on writers from China (Mo Yan, Yu Hua and Yan Lianke), but also covers authors from Taiwan (Wu Ming-yi), Japan (Banana Yoshimoto) and South Korea (Hwang Sok-yong) in order to illustrate the wide variety and innovative nature of magical realist fiction in this region.

Keywords

contemporary Chinese literatureMo YanEast Asian literaturegenre theory
Type
Chapter
Information
Magical Realism and Literature , pp. 182 - 197
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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