AS English Literature- Wise Children

[Charz777]

Basically, what is postmodernism and magical realism and how does it relate to Wise Children by Angela Carter. Some of us can't make sense of our own research and have an essay to write. I don't know where to start. Anyone have the faintest idea what I'm on about? Thanks :D

[Kyle]

Wise Children's narrative style is postmodern. It is a non-conformist style which uses a continuous stream of narrative. It could also be seen as post-modern in the way that no distinction is made between high and low culture. The high and low are brought together at the end of the novel. Angela Carter is making the reader work to understand the novel and takes an active role in the interactive text. Carter invites the reader into the novel as 'the fourth guest to the table'. Frequently employing a direct address narrative style, "There's Big Ben, see?"

The novel switches between actions, which are described as being so extravagant that the reader has to suspend their disbelief to everyday dialogue between characters. It cannot be looked at as a realistic level. However Carter does blend the absurd with realism. Many of the character's emotions are real - Dora's longing for acceptance from Melchior, however this is contrasted by absurd moments. Two examples that could be used to show magical realism could be Grandma Chance's ghost who visits Dora and Nora before they go to Melchior's 100th birthday and at the end of chapter two where Dora has sex as the building is burning down. Would somebody really do that? No (well not likely anyway) - This is what is meant by magical realism.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/A-level_English/Wise_Children/Magical_Realism
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/A-level_English/Wise_Children/Post-Modernism

[Charz777]

Wise Children's narrative style is postmodern. It is a non-conformist style which uses a continuous stream of narrative. It could also be seen as post-modern in the way that no distinction is made between high and low culture. The high and low are brought together at the end of the novel. Angela Carter is making the reader work to understand the novel and takes an active role in the interactive text. Carter invites the reader into the novel as 'the fourth guest to the table'. Frequently employing a direct address narrative style, "There's Big Ben, see?"

The novel switches between actions, which are described as being so extravagant that the reader has to suspend their disbelief to everyday dialogue between characters. It cannot be looked at as a realistic level. However Carter does blend the absurd with realism. Many of the character's emotions are real - Dora's longing for acceptance from Melchior, however this is contrasted by absurd moments. Two examples that could be used to show magical realism could be Grandma Chance's ghost who visits Dora and Nora before they go to Melchior's 100th birthday and at the end of chapter two where Dora has sex as the building is burning down. Would somebody really do that? No (well not likely anyway) - This is what is meant by magical realism.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/A-level_English/Wise_Children/Magical_Realism
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/A-level_English/Wise_Children/Post-Modernism

Thank you :D This helped a lot.