Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't the fine line between sanity and madness gotten finer?

George Price GABRIEL GARCA MRQUEZ AND MAGIC REALISM

" Ma gic Re a lism " ( el re a lismo ma g ica l ) wa s a t e rm f irst co in e d in 19 4 9 b y t h e Cub a n n o ve list A le jo Ca rpe n t ie r to d e scribe t he m a tt e r -of -f a ct co m b in a t ion of t he f a n ta st ic an d e ve ryd a y in L a t in Am e rica n f ict io n. A b o ut t he same t im e it wa s a lso u sed b y E u ro pe a n crit ics t o de scrib e a s i m i l a r t r e n d i n p os t wa r G er m a n f i ct i o n e xe m p l i f i e d b y n ove l s l i k e G u nt e r
G r a ss ' s T h e T i n Dr um ( 1 9 5 9 ) . ( G er m a n a r t c r i t i c F r a n z R o h h a d e m p l o ye d t h e s a m e t e r m i n 1 9 2 5 , b u t h e a p p l i e d i t o n ly t o p a i n t i ng . ) Ma g i c R e a l i s m h a s n o w b e c o m e t h e st an d a r d n am e f o r a m a j o r t r e n d i n c o n t em p o r a r y f i ct i o n t h at s t r et c h e s f r o m L a t i n A m er i c a n wo r k s l i k e G a br i e l G ar c a M r q u e z' s O n e H u n d r e d Y e a r s o f So l i t u d e ( 1 9 6 7 ) t o n or t e a m er i c a n a n o ve l s l i k e Ma r k H e l p r i n ' s W i n t er ' s Ta l e ( 1 9 8 3 ) a n d A s i a n wo r k s l i k e S a l m a n R u s h d i e ' s M i d n i g h t C h i l d r e n ( 1 9 8 1 ) . I n a l l c a s e s t h e t er m r ef e r s t o t h e t e n d e n c y a m o ng c on t e m p or a r y f i ct i o n wr i t e r s t o m i x t h e m a g i c a l a n d m u n d a n e i n a n o ve r a l l c o n t e xt of r e a l i s t i c n a r r at i o n .

T he po ssib ilit ie s of st o ryt e llin g will a l wa ys h o ve r b e t we e n th e o p po sin g p o le s of ve risim ilit u d e a n d m yt h , f a ctu a lit y a n d f a b u la t io n , rea lism an d ro m an ce . If m id -cen t u ry crit ics (like F . R. L e a vis, V . S . P rit ch e t t , F. W . Du p e e, I rvin g Ho we , an d L io n e l T rillin g) a lm o st e xclu sive l y f a vo re d th e re a list mo d e , t he ir e m ph a sis ref le ct ed t h e ir ge n e rat io n 's u n de rst a nd a b le f a scin a t io n wit h t he imm ed ia t e p a st. T he y st ill li ve d in th e sha d o w of wh a t L e a vis ca lle d t h e " G rea t T ra d it io n " of th e p sych o lo gica l a n d so cia l n o ve l. Th is t ra d it ion e n co mp a sse d (t o e xp a n d L e a vis's An glo p h ilic list a b it ) Ja n e A u st e n , G e o rge E lio t , He n ry Ja m e s, Ed it h W ha rt o n , Jo sep h Co n ra d , V irgin ia W o o lf , D. H. L a wre nce , W illa Ca t h e r, Ern e st He m in gwa y, a n d ea rly Ja m e s Jo yce . A s t h e re a list ic nove l co n f id e n t ly co n t inu e d in t he f irst d e ca d e s of t h e ce n t u ry, it wa s a ll t o o e a sy t o im a gin e th a t t h is pa rt icu la r lin e of deve lo p m e nt ha d d e cisive l y su p e rsed e d t he o ld e r p re -no ve list ic m o de s of s t o ryt e llin g. T he se L o nd o n , O xf o rd , an d Ne w Yo rk crit ic s wo u ld h a rd ly h a ve im a gin ed th a t a ra d ica lly d if f e re nt kin d of f ict ion wa s b e in g d e ve lo pe d b e yo n d th e ir

ke n in p la ce s like A rge n t in a , Co lo mbia , a nd Pe ru . B y t he t ime G a rca M rqu e z a n d h is f e llo w m e m be rs of " e l bo om " in La t in -A m e rican f ict ion ca m e t o ma t u rit y, t h e re eme rge n ce of t h e f a nt a st ic h e rita ge in f ict io n se e me d n ea rly a s re vo lu t io n a ry a s t he re gio n 's p o lit ics. A ll of t he m a in f e at u re s of L at in Am erica n Ma gic Re a lism can be f ou nd in G a rca M rqu e z' s st o ry, " A Ve ry O ld Ma n wit h E no rmo u s W in gs, " wh ich a p p e a re d in h is 1 97 2 vo lu me Th e In cre d ib le a nd S a d Ta le of I n n o ce n t E r nd ira a n d He r He a rt le ss G ra n d mo t h e r . (T he E n glish t ra n sla t ion a lso a pp e a red in 1 9 72 a s p a rt of L ea f S t o rm a n d O t he r S t o rie s . S in ce L e af S t o rm wa s o rig in a lly p u b lish e d in Sp a n ish in 19 5 5, t h e t ran sla t ion vo lu m e h a s le d so me A m e rican ed it o rs an d crit ics t o m isd a te " A Ve ry O ld Ma n wit h E no rmo u s W in gs, " wh ich is n o t a n e a rly wo rk b u t writ t e n so o n af te r G a rca M rqu e z's ma g n u m o p u s , O ne Hu n d re d Y ea rs o f S o lit u de . ) A s a yo u n g la w st ud e n t, G a rca M rqu e z re a d Kaf ka 's Th e Me t a mo rp h o sis . I t p ro ve d a de cisive e n cou n t e r, a nd th e inf lu en ce is no t h a rd to ob se rve in t h e e a rly st o rie s, wh ich so of t en p rese n t b iza rre in cid e n t s u nf o ld in g in o rd ina ry circu m st a n ce s. If K af ka re in ve n t e d t h e f a b le b y p la cin g it in t h e mo d e rn qu o tid ia n wo rld , G a rca M rqu e z re se t it in t he unf am ilia r la n d scap e of th e Th ird W orld. If K af ka ma d e sp irit u a l issu e s mo re m yst e rio u s b y su rro u n d in g t h em wit h b u rea u cra t ic p ro ce du re , h is Co lo m b ia n f o llo we r ch a n ge d ou r pe rce p t io n of La t in A m e rica b y in sist in g t h a t in t h is Ne w W orld visio n a ry ro m a nt icism wa s m e re ly re p o rt a ge . G a rca M rqu e z a l so h ad an o th e r crucia l m en t o r clo se r a t h a nd t he A rge n t in ea n ma st e r, Jo rge Lu is B o rge s. O n ly t h irt y ye a rs G a rca M rqu e z's se n io r, B o rge s ha d qu ie t ly re d ra wn t h e im a gin a t ive b ou n da rie s of L a t in A m e rican f ict ion . A lm o st sin gle h a nd e d ly h e h a d also re h ab ilit a t e d t he f an t a st ic t a le f o r h igh -a rt f ict io n . Re m o vin g re ligio n a n d t h e su pe rn a tu ra l f ro m a n y f ixe d id e o lo gy, h e e m p lo ye d t he m yt ho lo gy o f Ch rist ia n ity, Ju d a ism , I slam , a n d Co nf u cian ism a s me t a ph ysica l f igu re s. S ign if ican t a lly, Bo rge s e xp re sse d h is so ph ist ica t ed f ict io n s in p op u la r ra th e r tha n e xp e rime n ta l f o rm s th e f a b le, th e de t e ct ive st o ry, t h e su pe rn a tu ra l ta le , th e ga u ch o

le ge n d . He wa s t he f irst gre a t po st -m o de rn ist sto ryt e lle r, a nd he f ou nd a n ea ge r a pp re n t ice in Ga rca M rqu e z, wh o d e ve lo p e d t h e se in n o va t ive n o t io n s in d if f e ren t a n d u su a lly m o re e xp a n sive f o rm s. T he p lot of G a rca M rqu e z's st o r y is e a sily su m ma rize d . A t th e e n d of a t h ree -d a y ra in sto rm Pe la yo d isco ve rs a n o ld m a n wit h e no rmo u s win gs l yin g f a ce do wn in t h e m ud of h is co u rt ya rd . He im me d iat e ly re t u rn s wit h h is wif e E lise nd a to e xam in e t h e b a ld , ne arl y t o o t h le ss ma n wh o se e m s b a re ly a live . T h e y t ry t o co n ve rse , b ut no one u nd e rst an d s a n yt h in g t h e win ge d a n cie n t sa ys. Af te r co n su lt in g wit h a n e igh bo r wh o id e n t if ie s t h e ma n a s a n a n ge l, P e la yo d ra gs t he f ilt h y, p a ssive cre a t u re in t o a ch icke n co op . S oo n p eo p le visit f irst to m o ck a nd t ea se th e win ge d ca p t ive , t he n to see k m ira cles Th e lo ca l p rie st trie s t o de t e rm in e if th e m yst e rio u s priso n e r is t ru ly a n a n ge l o r me re ly so m e d ia bo lic t rick. He n o t ice s t he o ld m an 's ste n ch a n d h is pa ra sit e -inf e ste d win gs, b u t writ e s t o th e b ish o p a n d e ve n t ua lly Ro m e f o r a ve rd ict . (Ro me se e ks ad d it ion a l inf o rm at io n b u t n e ver m a ke s a d e cisio n a ve ry K af kae squ e sit ua t io n . ) S o o n P e la yo an d his wif e b e gin cha rgin g a d m ission t o se e th e ir a n ge l. T he cro wd s gro w u n t il t h e y d ra w o t h er ca rn iva l a t t ra ct ion s. O ne visit in g sid e sh o w f e a tu re s a yo u n g wo m a n wh o wa s t ra n sf o rm e d in t o a t a ran t u la t h e size of a ram wit h t h e h ea d of a m a ide n . S in ce t h e sp id e r wo m a n e a ge rly t a lks t o cust o me rs u n like the sile n t , n ea rly im m o b ile a n ge l sh e be gin s t o d ra w t h e a ud ie n ce a wa y. B y n o w, h o we ve r, P e la yo a nd h is wif e h a ve ea rne d en o u gh t o b u ild a f ine t wo -st o ry m a n sio n. S e ve ra l ye a rs p a ss. T he ir ch ild , wh o wa s a ne wb o rn a t th e sto ry's o p e n in g, is n o w o ld e no u gh sta rt sch oo l. T he f eeb le an ge l d ra gs h im se lf a ro u nd t h e ir p rop e rt y gre a t l y t o E lise n d a 's an n o ya n ce . He a lso lo o se s h is la st b e d ra ggle d f at h e rs. Th a t win t e r t h e o ld ma n a lm o st d ie s of f e ve r, bu t b y sp rin g h is f e a th e rs b e gin t o gro w b a ck. O n e d a y, a s E lise n da wa t ch e s f rom th e kit ch en , th e o ld ma n clu m sily t a ke s f ligh t a n d f la p s a wa y a cro ss t he sea . T he p lot of G a rca M rqu e z's st o r y t h e m a gica l e lem ent s a sid e is p o sit ive ly d ra b . T he e nd in g so con sp icu o u sly la cks a n y o ve rt n a rra t ive

in ge n u it y a s t o see m a n t iclima ct ic. Th e f lat n e ss of t h e p lo t give s t h e st o ry a n o dd qu a lity a s im p e r so na l a s a n e wsp a p e r a rt icle , a nd a s e p iso d ic a s a le ge n d . T h is f e e lin g of d e t a ch me n t is h e igh t e ne d b y t h e t a le 's om n iscien t na rra t o r wh o re p o rts t h e o dd e ve n t s wit h d ea d pa n o b je ct ivit y. T h e sto ry's p a rt icu la r p owe r co m e s f rom it s e xt ra o rd in a ry d e t a ils, wh ich a re se ld om d rab an d of te n d a zzlin g. A mo t le y p ro ce ssio n of pe o p le a nd th ings (ra n gin g f ro m an o rd ina ry p a rish prie st t o an e n cha n t ed ta ra n tu la wo m a n ) pa ra de b y in su ch p rof u sio n th a t t h e re a d e r n e ve r kn o ws wh a t t o e xp e ct ne xt t h e m yst e rio us, t h e mu n da n e , o r t h e ma gic? Th a t d ist ra ct in g b ut d iso rie n t in g ef f e ct is cru cia l t o th e e xp e rie n ce of Ma gic Re a lism an d t o a ce rt a in e xt e n t , it is t h e e lem e nt t h a t m o st cle a rly dif f e re n t iat e s it f rom it s p re d e ce sso rs. G o go l, Kaf ka , a n d S in ge r ma y h ave cre a t e d sim ila r m o de s of f ict ion , bu t t he y n e ve r la vish e d so m a n y f a b u lou s de t a ils wit h su ch p rof liga t e no n cha la n ce. " A Ve ry O ld Ma n wit h E no rm ou s W in gs" se em in gly in vit e s a ll so rt s of sym b o lic a n d e ve n a lle go rica l re a d ings, b u t Ga rca M rqu e z co n st a n t ly u n de rcu t s o r f ru s t ra t e s a n y e a sy in t erp re t a t ion . If t h is be d ra ggle d , sickly c re a t u re t ru ly re p re se n t s th e de sce n t of t h e m iracu lo u s int o th e e ve r yd a y wo rld , h e d o e s n ot f it th e p re co n ce p t ion s of a nyo n e in t h is wo rld p rie st , p e t itio n e r, o r e ve n p a yin g sid e sh o w cu st om e r. T h i s p u t at ive a n ge l n o t o n ly re m a in s u n in sp irin g a n d un kn o wa b le , b u t sligh t ly re p u lsive . No o ne in t he st o ry e ve r su cce ssf u lly co m mu nica t e s wit h h im . I f h e sp ea ks th e lan gu a ge of t h e d ivi n e , we ca nn o t u nde rst a n d a wo rd of it . He a rrive s, st a ys, a n d lea ve s wi t h o ut e xp la n at io n o r a p pa re n t p u rp o se s. If t he sto ry is t o b e rea d sym b o lica lly, a ll o n e ca n u lt ima t e ly sa y is t h a t th e win ge d o ld m an em bod ie s bo t h t h e im pen e t ra b le m yst e rie s of th is wo rld a nd t he ne xt on e . W hat e ve r h e t ru ly is m o rt a l o r su p e rn a t u ra l he e xist s b e yo n d o ur co m p reh en sio n . W e ca n p ro je ct o u r o wn a ssum p t ion s o n t he b lan k scre e n of h is h ist o ry, b u t h is e sse n ce re m a in s f o re ve r invisib le . W he n h e f lie s a wa y, we kn o w n o th in g im p o rta n t a b ou t h im wit h m o re ce rt a in t y t h a n wh e n h e a rrive d . 1 9 9 8
Dana Gioia First published in Sniper Logic (No. 6 /1998)

Who decides where we draw that fine line between sanity and insanity? Between reality and fantasy? If reality is based upon perception, then everyone perceives his or her own little reality.Can we say that our reality is any more real than someone elses? Who decides what reality is? If we say that reality is what the majority of people accept as real, then in a sense there is no true reality but only a series of accepted norms. What if the majority is wrong about our perceptions and our vision of reality is completely false? Then those who we judge insane are really those who are sane and we are living in a fantasy. No one can be completely sane. One hundred percent sanity would force a person to deal with this world in all its uncut, raw form without any of our built-in escape mechanisms. Sensory overload and mass confusion would soon result, forcing the person over the brink into complete insanity. Therefore, Sanity-Insanity cannot be measured upon a linear continuum but rather is truly circular in nature, with the Difference between complete sanity and insanity separated by only the slimmest of margins, yet there is the whole area of the rest of the circle representing the varying degrees of sanity-insanity. Taken to its logical (?) conclusion then, all of us are insane in varying degrees. Each person has different facets of their personality that deals with lifes daily ups and downs. We compartmentalize our feelings and emotions into each of these variations on our personality, yet we retain enough sanity to realize that these personalities cannot be separated from the whole. Those suffering from multiple personality disorder cannot retain enough sanity to hold these facets together and the seam is torn and the versions of the personality become personalities unto themselves. Somewhere along this circular continuum that defines sanity-insanity is a line that society has proscribed as the acceptable line of sanity. If the True line of sanity lies at the point described earlier where one hundred percent sanity meets one hundred percent insanity, then societys acceptable line is one hundred eighty degrees opposite of this true line. That is, we draw a line somewhere where our senses tell us someone has gone too far towards insanity on this circular continuum. If societys vision of sanity-insanity is the exact opposite of what is real, then everyone is society is actually delusional