REALISM, MAGIE ȘI METAMORFISM ÎN LOSTRIȚA/ REALISM, MAGIC AND METAMORPHISM IN LOSTRIȚA

Abstract

In literature, magical realism is characterized by the presentation of an apparently real universe, in which events and characters may be plausible and credible from a psychological or social perspective, but where supernatural or fantastical elements intervene in the unfolding of the action, thus crafting a reality that includes elements of a nature different from the everyday. Specific to this modern literary genre, fantastical and fabulous events are integrated into a narrative that maintains a credible tone and an objective presentation of reality, aiming to reflect a tendency of the modern novel to transcend the limits of realism by mobilizing elements from fable, folklore, and mythology. The action in works of this genre takes place within an ordinary, everyday spatial framework, and even at the heart of this normalcy, strange things occur that alter the mundane; nevertheless, supernatural events lack a realistic explanation. Space and time always exhibit a lack of uniformity, where real, ordinary occurrences follow a thread of inner consciousness, alternating premonitions and memories, drawing the attention of the narrator, characters, and readers. In Lostrița, Vasile Voiculescu perfectly illustrates how the traits of magical realism, such as the distortion of space and time, as well as the multiplication of identity, are blended, adding the motif of the double to introduce fantastical elements into the reality, thereby giving them an apparent state of normality. By presenting fantastical events or characters as a credible part of reality, the author maintains the impression of the narrative’s veracity.

Keywords

• alterity
• realism
• reality
• metamorphosis
• edges