Constructing a Magic Realist Narrative Worksheet

Hi all,

Here's my attempt to invent a story from the answers to the questions from last Friday:

Paul was a poor musician who lived in a small village, not far away from the Big Valley. He had the saddest of the souls, and in the Valley it has been raining since he was born, forty years ago. He was playing his flute when he first saw an old man. The old man had the saddest eyes he'd ever seen. Paul thought that he was the only sad soul in the Valley, so he was really amazed. Then he saw his wings, and he understood. He went home and told her wife: "I've just found my father, the one who flew away when I was just a kid". "Let's take him home and give him some food, then", answered the wife. And so they did. Paul was playing his flute when they arrived at the village. His music was much more moving than any other music anyone in the village had ever heard. Then, they saw Paul's father, with his sad eyes and his wings, and they began to wonder who he might be. Some said he was an angel, as only angels have such sad eyes. The priest didn't believe that. He said that Paul was also a very sad man, and he wasn't any angel, so it was nonsense to think that the old man might be one. He probably was a jinn, a very powerful spirit from the desert, who may make dreams come true just by staring at his wings. He said that it was obvious that Paul asked him to play the most moving of the musics when looking at him. The rest of the village agreed with him, and decided that they also should ask for their dreams to come true. Paul's father was very hungry, so he ate all the food that Paul's wife served him. Paul and his wife kept him in the kitchen, as he ate and ate without ending. Paul saw how all the food they had stored for the winter was being eaten by his father. But then the people from the village knocked at Paul's door and asked to see the old man. Paul didn't want his father to be shown, but he remembered his empty storage and agreed to let people look at him, charging everyone with a silver coin. When every single person in the village had asked for his dream to come true and, after that, went back home, eager to check if the priest was right about him, Paul began to play his flute again. It was during his play, just a few hours after having found his father that he saw him opening a window, spreading his wings and flying away.

I beg you not to be very severe about it. That was just an attempt, remember? Apart from the tough critics I suppose the text may receive, I guess that from it you may get my answers to the questions, right?

Aniol

The Famished Road, an astonishing read.

Well, here are my feelings about Ben Okri's The Famished Road:

Let’s make it clear form the beginning: The Famished Road is an astonishing read. Said to be a magic realism classic, though the author denies this label, the adventures of the spirit-child Azaro have just enchanted me. The plot may appear to be simple: our spirit-child hero has agreed with his spirit-companions to return to the world of spirits as soon as he is born –that is, to die–, as they can’t bear suffering and they hold their memories of their idyllic previous life, but after seeing his mother he changes his mind and decides to stay. His spirit companions try their best to make Azaro return –disease, hunger, violence…–, and his life goes by trying to survive. It is also important here to note that the name is not eventful, as it’s relation with Lazarus is more than evident. But The Famished Road can be read at very different levels, not only as a fantastic tale that may include many Yoruba mythology, but as a profound critic to African reality. We see disease, incomprehension, injustice, politics that seek votes through violence, threat and fear, alcoholism, creditors’ greed, superstition and many others, but we see all of it through the eyes of a child, which makes all of it even more unreal –or more real–. So, we get the feeling that the spirits, the gods or some amazing characters such as the blind man who can see, the Photographer or the unforgettable Madame Koto are much more real than the landlord, the family of the father –who supports a different party (The Party of the Rich)–, or the omnipresent thugs. The hallucinations that famine and disease cause in Azaro transports us to a fantastic world where life and despair holds their hand to a very different reality, but we understand that this other reality is much more palpable for Azaro than his hours in school or in the compound –that is, even commonplace may be seen as magical, and fantastic may be seen as common, and furthermore, thanks to it we see the world in all its strangeness–. Due to the pages of The Famished Road we understand that reality may be seen very differently than what we are used to.

What do you think about it? Did you had similar feelings when reading it?
Aniol

LETL: The Next Generation

Okay People,

Welcome.

As promised, here we are, finally... The Learning English Through Literature blog! As you will be able to see from the posts below by students over previous courses, this can indeed be a valuable and interesting way of keeping in touch and exchanging ideas about the texts we are looking at when your not in class, and start to miss each other... And me of course.

As a starter then, after you´ve accepted the invite and become a member of the blog, I´d like to to make a post, preferably before the class on Friday on your thoughts, if you have any... On The Famished Road. Comment on each others comments too if you like...

All right, so good luck getting to grips with it

And see you on Friday

Best

Oliver