Examples Of Magical Realism In Elsewhere By Zevin

Magical realism is a fiction genre in which magical elements blend to create a realistic atmosphere. Magical realism originated in Latin America. Magical realism serve as a means to escape the world around readers, and enter a new world. There are six characteristics of magical realism. These characteristics are lyrical,fantastic writing, examination of character of human existence, accepting the extraordinary as ordinary, an undeclared criticism of society, authorial reticence, and cultural hybridity. Although Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin is an example of magical realism, readers can argue that not all characteristics are found in the book. One evident magical realism through Elsewhere is cultural hybridity. Egyptian hybridity can

Liz herself is wearing white men style pajamas.”(Zevin 11). In Egypt when people passed away they were wrapped in a white clothe as they become mummies. The three parts of Elsewhere also show Egyptian cultural hybridity. Part one, The Nile, refers to the Nile River that runs through Egypt. Part two, The Book of the Dead, is an ancient Egyptian funerary book that describes what would occur in preparation of sending someone to the After life. Part three of the book,Antique Land, refers to the poem Ozymandias which speaks of an old Egyptian emperor. Another evident Egyptian cultural hybridity is when Liz speaks of the process of mummification. American hybridity also appears when they are celebrating Thanksgiving, “As on Earth, or at least in the United States, Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday” (Zevin 159). Criticism of society is another reoccurring characteristic of magical realism that occurs in Elsewhere. When Liz goes sightseeing she says,“to satisfy Betty, Liz selects a book of six Elsewhere postcards and a plastic snow globe”(Zevin 100). This here shows the people rather show off where then went instead of experiencing where they went. Currently people rather show off where they went by taking pictures and posting