The Use of ‘Magical Realism’ in the Works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez: A Descriptive Study

Known for own brand of magical realism, Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of the most renowned writers of the 20th century. Marquez creates a surreal and dreamlike ambiance that blurs the lines between reality and fantasy in books and short tales by fusing parts of the actual world with mythical and magical events. The use of magical realism in Marquez's most well-known books, including ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’, ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’, and ‘The Autumn of the Patriarch’, is examined in this study. The study looks at the different ways in which Marquez's usage of magical realism reflects the political, social, and cultural upbringing. It examines the symbolism and imagery used to convey a sense of magical realism and considers how this strategy affects how the reader interprets Marquez’s works. The study also examines the literary influences that helped Marquez develop the writing style, including Latin American literature and Franz Kafka's works. The case that Marquez's use of magical realism in these works is a potent method for delving into a variety of challenging themes and concepts, such as identity, memory, love, and power. Marquez has secured the position in the canon of great literature because to this distinctive and effective literary device.


Introduction:
The Nobel Prize-winning author from Colombia, 'Gabriel Garcia Marquez', is largely recognized as one of the most influential and important authors of the 20th century. All of Marquez's writing is renowned for its vivid, colorful descriptions, rich symbolism, and complex narrative patterns. Magical realism is a literary method that blends aspects of fantasy or the supernatural with realistic storytelling to create a world where the boundaries between reality PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2018) 55(1): 257-264 ISSN: 1553-6939 258 www.psychologyandeducation.net and imagination are hazy. Because it incorporates Colombian folklore, history, and mythology, Marquez's use of magical realism is particularly noteworthy. A literary device that combines parts of the mystical and the real to create a singular and strange world, is one of the most recognizable aspects of Marquez's writing (Ahmad et al. 2012). In the middle of the 20th century, the literary genre known as magical realism gained popularity. It has its roots in Latin America. It can be identified by the way magical or supernatural aspects are woven into a realistic story, frequently in a way that blurs the distinction between the two. According to magical realism, the bizarre is depicted as commonplace and daily, while the ordinary is given a feeling of surprise and mystery. The use of magical realism by Marquez is likely most apparent in the masterpiece, "One Hundred Years of Solitude." In the made-up village of Macondo, the book chronicles the history of the Buendia family across numerous generations. Through the course of the book, Marquez deftly combines the mystical with the mundane, creating a universe that is both fanciful and firmly grounded in reality. Remedios the Beauty, for instance, is a character that first appears in the book. Men are driven to insanity and suicide when they are around Remedios because of the stunning beauty. Remedios is claimed to have risen into heaven after dying, taking only clothing along (Adams, J. 2011).
A distinctive feature of Marquez's writing that contributes to the wonder and enchantment of the works is the mingling of the real and the supernatural. "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" is another instance of Marquez's usage of magical realism. The tragedy of Santiago Nasar's murder, a young man who was assassinated on the eve of the wedding, is told in the novella. Marquez employs magical realism to examine the ways that many characters perceive and interpret the events leading up to the murder from multiple points of view throughout the novel. The narrator describes, for instance, how the town's residents were informed of the murder yet did nothing about it. The warning manifested itself in the shape of a common dream in which circling birds and a blood-red sky were depicted. This dream is a paranormal component of the story that is woven into it in a way that is both enigmatic and unsettling. Scholars and critics of literature have praised and decried Marquez's use of magical realism. Some claim it is a special and original technique that aids in generating a sense of enchantment and wonder in all these writing.
Some people have criticized it for being highly symbolic and challenging to understand Marquez introduces a character that is a cross between a human and a bird. The old man's entrance sparks a lot of excitement and curiosity in the little village where the narrative is set.
The villagers initially think the old man is an angel, but when they learn that the old man cannot PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2018)  fly and possesses no supernatural abilities, they start to treat the man like a sideshow attraction.
The tale serves as a criticism on how we often take advantage of and dehumanize individuals who are different (Hatjakes, A. 2008).
Marquez employs magical realism in more than only the books and short tales. Tactic is used in the memoir, Living to Tell the Tale, to evoke nostalgia and to think back on one's own experiences. Marquez childhood, family, and travels are all vividly described in the memoir.
Marquez creates a universe that is both realistic and fanciful by utilizing magical realism to obfuscate the distinction between fact and fiction.For Marquez, magical realism is more than a literary technique-it's a way of life. Magical realism has its roots in the storytelling culture of Latin America, which places a great priority on myth and imagination. As Marquez once stated,

"Reality is not what happened to us, but what we remember and how we remember it."
The core of his use of magical realism is captured in this sentence. Instead of attempting to recreate reality as it actually occurred, Marquez is more interested in forging a brand-new world based on memory and imagination.

Objectives of the study:
To explore the use of 'magical realism' in the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Research Methodology:
This study is empirical in nature. In this study 203 respondents were contacted to explore the association of gender and age among Malls and Retail shops of India. The data analysis was done with the help of the frequency distribution.   Table 2 presents that with the statement magical realism in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's works is not simply a plot device but a way of creating meaning and symbolism, it is found that 81.28%

Data Analysis and Interpretation:
of the respondents agree with this statement.   Table 4 presents that with the statement Garcia Marquez's works are often compared to the surrealist movement in art, which also sought to challenge reality and explore the subconscious, it is found that 78.33% of the respondents agree with this statement.

Conclusion:
Ultimately, Gabriel Garcia Marquez's usage of magical realism in the writing has had a significant influence on literature. Marquez explores complex issues like love, death, and power in a profoundly meaningful way thanks to the distinctive approach of fusing the actual world with magical components. Readers can explore the highly imaginative worlds without being restricted by the rules of literature because of the way Marquez delivers stories. Through these writings, including "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and "Love in the Time of Cholera," Marquez has shown the capacity to take readers to a location where enchantment and reality collide. A stronger emotional connection to the characters and a better comprehension of human nature are the outcomes. Marquez's writings forever altered the literary landscape and inspired other writers to explore magical realism in their own works. Generations to come will be affected by and shaped by Marquez legacy in the literary world. The literary world has been forever changed by Gabriel Garcia Marquez's use of magical realism, which also gives readers a singular and unforgettable experience.