Magic Realism

Magic realism and dreams in Banana Yoshimoto’s “Kitchen”.

"what happens when a highly detailed, realistic setting is invaded by something too strange to believe".

Matthew C. Strecher, Magical Realism and the Search for Identity in the Fiction of Murakami Haruki, Journal of Japanese Studies, Volume 25, Number 2 (Summer 1999), pp. 263-298, at 267.

What is magic realism?

Magic realism a style of writing where magical things are a normal part of a realistic world.

The characters don't question these strange events; they just accept them as part of their everyday life.

Reality and magic are blended so smoothly that you can't tell where one ends and the other begins.

What is magic realism?

Key Ideas

• A Realistic World: The story's setting and characters feel real, like they could be in our world. �
• Magical, Unusual Events or descriptions: Something impossible, unrealistic or supernatural in the story. �
• The Magic Isn't a Big Deal: The characters and narrator don't think the magic is strange. It's just a normal part of their lives.

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What aspects of “Kitchen” might be considered magic realism?

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The magic renewing properties of food

In the novel food and tea often have an almost magical healing quality.

Think about the effects of the Katsudon and tea that Yuichi drinks when Mikage comes to the inn at the end of the novel.

The enormous dinner that Mikage makes for Yuichi after Eriko dies.

The importance of Mikage’s cooking to Eriko after long nights in the club.

Magic realism in “Kitchen”

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What aspects/scenes/details from “Kitchen” strike you as fitting the definition of magic realism?

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Make a copy of this document in your LP.

Add direct quotations and explanations. Your answers should be in your language of study

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