Latino/a takes on Magic Realism

Magic Realism is a genre that has come to be predominantly associated with Latin American literature. As such, it is unsurprising that Latino/a writers would feel the influence of the genre and would incorporate elements into their writings. This is certainly the case with Dreaming in Cuban, though it has a presence in Bodega Dreams as well, even if it is less clear. Magic Realism, in the Latino contexts described in Bodega Dreams and Dreaming in Cuban give added but subtle emphasis to the stories of individuals.

Dreaming in Cuban begins with the spirit of Jorge del Pino appearing to his wife, Celia – a Magic Realist scene if there ever was one. True to the genre, Celia does not doubt that this could happen, and she accepts it as reality to the point where she even tells her daughters about it (they don’t question it, either). Other occurrences throughout the book have a Magic Realist feel as well, such as the ability of Celia and her granddaughter Pilar to communicate mentally across distances, or the continued reappearance of Jorge’s ghost to his daughter Lourdes. While the instances of Santería are never directly connected to healing, the practice itself introduces mythical and mystical elements that are frequently used in Magic Realist works (i.e., the magic elements of a story happen through the existence of gods, traditional rituals, etc.). What I find interesting about Dreaming in Cuban is that these elements of magic are not of an epic nature as is often the case in other Magic Realist works; the events that happen shape a family, not a nation, and the family itself does not have any real impact on the world. The magic, then, is personal.

Bodega Dreams is a bit of an outlier in a class where so many of the texts have had such clear Magic Realist influences, but there are influences nonetheless. Fairly early on in the book, for instance, Bodega arranges the sacrifice of a goose to Chango on his behalf, a traditional ceremony carried over from the Caribbean involving ritualistic killing, the pouring of water, and other elements. Adding to the elements of mysticism there, the woman making the sacrifice has a rather prophetic dream of Bodega’s former love’s arrival and the chaos that ensues. There are also a few other mystical elements in the book that, if not verifiably miraculous, are at least believed to be so by certain characters. The “anointed” status of the young preacher Roberto Vega, for instance, comes from a more Christian sense of the divine rather than an indigenous sense, but his character does have the ability to speak powerfully and the congregation is convinced that he is particularly blessed by God. In both the case of Bodega’s sacrifice and Roberto’s anointing, the magic or mysticism is associated with specific (albeit influential) people. Again, there is no sense that magic pervades or affects the Barrio society at large, but rather a sense that such magic is intensely personal.

As with many other works that have been examined in the course of Latino Literature, Bodega Dreams and Dreaming in Cuban display elements of Magic Realism. Whereas Latin American works in the genre tend to be broad – even epic – in scope, Latino/a takes on it tend to be more subtle and sparse. Ultimately, however, elements from the genre, no matter how personal in their focus, are no less effective in aiding the expression of a book’s meaning.