Magical Realism In 'Midterm'

Midterm Prompt 1 The magical realism in each story plays a significant role in the plot of each story and in the lives of the characters. In Ward’s novel, the magical elements are introduced throughout the story, gathering as one in a unifying end. The magical ability of each character is unique; Jojo hears animals and communicates with the dead, Leonie sees her dead brother, Mam hears the songs of animals, people, and plants, and Kayla communicates with the dead. The ghost of Given showing when Leonie is on drugs affords an unspoken explanation that Leonie’s life began to diminish to what it is now because of the tragedy of her brother’s death. The ghost of Richie and Jojo’s ability to interact with him allows a comparison of the two young boys’ drastically different lives and the role Pop plays

The introduction of Richie shaped the story of Parchman to no longer be just a story, but a reality of the abuse that happened. Furthermore, the ghosts of Given and Richie postulate contrasts, such as how each acts and responds to being unable to rest, and the impact they each have on the characters. Although each magical attribute is different, the magic is the same in the sense that it is kept within the single family of the novel, which is hinted by Mam when she states, “I ain’t never have the talent for it. Seeing the dead. I could read people, read the future or the past in they bodies. Know what was wrong or needed by their songs: in the plants, in the animals, too” (Ward 237). The previous quote also conveys the significance of how Mam is able to hear Richie’s song, aiding in the argument that magic ultimately is what allows the unification of the