Magical Realism is a literary movement which is chiefly found in Latin America during the 1960's onward to the present. It is characterized with the use of paranormal activity that the majority of the population believes in or is at least curious about. The Hispanic culture is traditionally involved with exploring the mysteries of birth, death, and the spiritual world in general. For example, in Mexico they observe the “Day of the Dead” in which they celebrate rather than mourn the death of family members. They remember and celebrate the life of those who have died and believe that the deceased have moved on to a spiritual paradise and watch over the living. They even keep the skulls of their ancestors as a reminder.  

As a movement, magical realism is used to explore the philosophies of these beliefs. In literature, magical realism is typified by images of spirits and other inexplicable happenings. However these were not necessarily ominous signs. More often than not the spirits represented a happy or pleasant encounter, such as seeing the comforting ghost of a loved one. The theme of fate or destiny is also apparent in literary works of magical realism. In the visual arts magical realism is typified by the use of vibrant color or the depiction of a phantom visage in an otherwise realistic setting.   

 While the magical realism movement is defined as being confined to the 1960’s and Latin American it is not anything new. It has been used as a minor literary device for centuries. Shakespeare used elements such as ghosts and witches in many of his plays. Magical realism is simply classified by the use of fantasy that most people believe in. Examples of such things include ghosts, pyschics, and the theme of fate and destiny. It allows the author to expand into the fantasy realm without completely loosing the sense of reality. In Hamlet and Macbeth, Shakespeare uses magical realism in order to connect with and to intrigue the audience. In Hamlet Shakespeare uses the ghost of Hamlet’s father and in Macbeth he uses three witches. In both he uses the theme of inevitable fate.

Pure fantasy, in contrast, separates the audience from the characters in the novel simply because the audience cannot connect to the situations and happenings of the novel. Isabel Allende fits this description in several ways. Allende began writing during the primary period or awakening of magical realism. The vast majority of her novels are realistic fiction (Paula being the exception). She uses images of spirits, folklore, natural phenomenon, and fate in her novels. This adds intrigue and depth to her novels. Other authors and artists who are typical of magical realism include Paul Cadmus, Andrew Wyeth and Emile Deschler.