This class will present recent Latin American fiction that goes beyond magical realism by crossing into genre literature. We will first study the history and beginnings of magical realism and how it became a literary label. To understand key aspects of it, we will discuss short stories written by its most renowned author, Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez. We will then compare García Márquez’s work to that of Mariana Enríquez and Samantha Schweblin, two contemporary authors who resort to the horror genre and are part of a gothic trend in Latin American writing. The goal will not be to discard magical realism, but to understand how a variety of styles and genres can represent Latin American reality. The class will close with a brief survey of Latin American authors currently engaged in genre fiction.
---
Details: Beyond Magical Realism takes place Thursday July 11 from 6:30-8:30pm remotely online via Zoom
Prerequisite: None
Genre: Fiction
Level: All Levels
Format: Craft talk
Location: This class takes place remotely online via Zoom
Size: Limited to 35 participants.
Scholarships: Two scholarship spots are available for this class for writers in Northeast Ohio. Apply by April 15.
Cancellations & Refunds: Cancel at least 48 hours in advance of the first class meeting to receive a full refund. Email info@litcleveland.org.
Manuel Chinchilla holds a Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures from The University of Michigan and was Associate Professor of Spanish and Italian at Sewanee: The University of the South, where he taught Latin American literature and culture, Italian language, and collaborative seminars in the Humanities Program.