e-ISSN 2549-7715 | Volume 5 | Nomor 2 | April 2021 | Hal: 404—420 Terakreditasi Sinta 4 404 MAGICAL REALISM IN NEIL GAIMAN’S THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE NOVEL Sa’adatil Hasanah, Singgih Daru Kuncara, Anjar Dwi Astuti English Literature Department, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Mulawarman University Email: [email protected]ABSTRACT This research discusses magical realism in Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane. The purposes of this research are to find out the characteristics and literary techniques and to explain the role of magical realism that is portrayed in the novel. This research uses theories of characteristics of magical realism by Wendy B. Faris and literary techniques and role of magical realism by Anne C. Hegerfeldt. The method that is applied is descriptive qualitative and the approach is post-structuralism. The data are obtained from the dialogues and narrations that relate to the topics that are being analyzed. The result of the analysis shows that the five primary characteristics of magical realism are found in the novel like the irreducible elements of magic, unsettling doubts, phenomenal world, merging realms, and disruption of time/space/identity. It also shows that the five basic literary techniques of magical realism are represented within the novel such as the adaptation of other genres and modes, magical realist focalizer, paradigm of knowledge, strategies of destabilization, and techniques of literalization. The result also shows the role of magical realism that is portrayed through the influence of magical phenomena in the narrator/protagonist’s life. Keywords: magical realism, characteristics, literary techniques, role ABSTRAK Penelitian ini membahas realisme magis di dalam novel karangan Neil Gaiman The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menemukan karakteristik dan teknik sastra serta untuk menjelaskan peranan dari realisme magis yang digambarkan di dalam novel. Penelitian ini menggunakan teori karakteristek realisme magis dari Wendy B. Faris dan teori teknik sastra serta peranan realisme magis oleh Anne C. Hegerfeldt. Metode yang digunakan adalah deskriptif kualitatif dengan pendekatan post-strukturalisme. Data didapatkan dari dialog dan narasi yang berhubungan dengan topik yang sedang dianalisa. Hasil dari analisis menunjukkan bahwa lima karakteristik dasar dari realisme magis ditemukan di dalam novel seperti elemen tak tereduksi, keraguan yang menggoyahkan, dunia fenomenal, penggabungan dunia, dan gangguan dari
Transcript
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This researchdiscussesmagical realism inNeilGaiman’sTheOceanattheEndoftheLane. The purposes of this research are to find out the characteristics andliterarytechniquesandtoexplaintheroleofmagicalrealismthatisportrayedinthe novel. This research uses theories of characteristics of magical realism byWendy B. Faris and literary techniques and role of magical realism by Anne C.Hegerfeldt.Themethodthatisappliedisdescriptivequalitativeandtheapproachis post-structuralism. The data are obtained from the dialogues and narrationsthatrelatetothetopicsthatarebeinganalyzed.Theresultoftheanalysisshowsthatthefiveprimarycharacteristicsofmagicalrealismarefoundinthenovelliketheirreducibleelementsofmagic,unsettlingdoubts,phenomenalworld,mergingrealms, and disruption of time/space/identity. It also shows that the five basicliterarytechniquesofmagicalrealismarerepresentedwithinthenovelsuchastheadaptation of other genres and modes, magical realist focalizer, paradigm ofknowledge, strategies of destabilization, and techniques of literalization. Theresult also shows the role of magical realism that is portrayed through theinfluenceofmagicalphenomenainthenarrator/protagonist’slife.Keywords:magicalrealism,characteristics,literarytechniques,role
ABSTRAK
PenelitianinimembahasrealismemagisdidalamnovelkaranganNeilGaimanTheOceanattheEndoftheLane.Tujuandaripenelitianiniadalahuntukmenemukankarakteristik dan teknik sastra serta untuk menjelaskan peranan dari realismemagis yang digambarkan di dalam novel. Penelitian ini menggunakan teorikarakteristek realisme magis dari Wendy B. Faris dan teori teknik sastra sertaperanan realisme magis oleh Anne C. Hegerfeldt. Metode yang digunakan adalahdeskriptif kualitatif denganpendekatanpost-strukturalisme.Datadidapatkandaridialogdannarasiyangberhubungandengantopikyangsedangdianalisa.Hasildarianalisis menunjukkan bahwa lima karakteristik dasar dari realisme magisditemukan di dalam novel seperti elemen tak tereduksi, keraguan yangmenggoyahkan, dunia fenomenal, penggabungan dunia, dan gangguan dari
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waktu/ruang/dan identitas. Hasil juga menunjukkan bahwa lima teknik sastradasardarirealismemagisdiwujudkandalamnovelsepertiadaptasidarigenredanmode lain, focalizer dari realisme magis, paradigma pengetahuan, strategidestabilisasi, dan teknik literalisasi. Hasilnya juga menunjukkan peranan darirealismemagisyangdigambarkanmelaluipengaruhdarifenomenamagisdidalamkehidupannarator/protagonis.KataKunci:realismemagis,karakteristik,tekniksastra,danperanan
A. INTRODUCTION
Magical realism isa literary termthatderived fromartmovement. In1954,Latin American writer Angel Flores emerged ‘magical realism’ in literaturecriticism through her essayMagicalRealism inSpanishAmericanLiterature thatwas presented inModern Language Association Conference. This term becomeswidelyknownandcommonlyusedinliterature.Floresdefinesmagicalrealismasan“amalgamationofrealismandfantasy”(qtd.inHegerfeldt,6).
The discussion of magical realism relates to how Latin American andpostcolonial literature are rich basis for magical realism. Many scholars morefocusedtoanalyzemagicalrealisminLatinAmericanandpostcolonial literature.However,themodeisnotlimitedtooneparticularliterature.Westernliteratureisoneof the literature thatcanprovidereaderswith theknowledgeaboutmagicalrealismthatispresentedwithinitsliteraryworkssuchasnovel,drama,andfilm.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane,written by Neil Gaiman, is a novel thatpresentsmagicalrealismwithinitsnarrative.Thenoveltellsaboutsomestrangethingsthatthemaincharacterexperiencedwhenhewassevenyearsold,likethemysteriousdeathofanopalminerwho lives inhishouse, thepresenceofLettieHempstock and her family, and the existence ofmythical creature like varmintsandUrsulaMonkton.
ThereasonwhytheresearcherchoseTheOceanattheEndoftheLanebyNeilGaiman to be analyzed is becausemanypeople have categorized this novel as afantasyfiction.However,theresearcherindicatesthatthisnovelismoresuitedtobeincludedasmagicalrealistfictionbasedontheaspectsofmagicalrealismthatarepresentedinthenovel.
Based on the background above, the purposes of this research are: (1) todescribethecharacteristicsofmagicalrealisminTheOceanattheEndoftheLanenovel; (2) to explain how the literary techniques of magical realism arerepresentedinTheOceanattheEndoftheLanenovel;and(3)todisplaytheroleofmagicalrealismthatisportrayedinTheOceanattheEndoftheLanenovel.
B. RELATEDLITERATURE
1. LiteratureandMagicalRealism
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One way to learn about this world is through literature. It is becauseliterature represents the culture and tradition of a language or people. Reessummed up that “literature is a permanent expression in words of somethoughts or feelings in ideas about life and the world” (qtd. in Ade, 1).Literatureisdividedintotwoforms,fictionandnon-fiction.
Magical realism is part of narrative fiction. Bowers describes magicalrealism as a mode that “relies upon the presentation of real, imagined andmagicalelementsas if theywerereal” (21).WendyB.Farisalsoexplains that“magical realism combines realism and the fantastic so that the marvelousseemstogroworganicallywithintheordinary,blurringthedistinctionbetweenthem”(1).So,itcanbesaidthatmagicalrealismisamodeofliteraturewherethemagicalor fantasticelementsblendwiththeordinaryandthoseelementsareacceptedasareality.
2. ElementsofFiction
According to Griffith, the elements of fiction are plot, characterization,theme, setting, point of view, irony, and symbolism. The aspects of magicalrealismlikecharacteristicsandliterarytechniquesarealsorelatedtoelementsof fiction by Griffith. Among these elements of fiction,character/characterizationandsettingaretheelementsthatrelatestronglytothemagicalrealism.
a. Characterandcharacterization:thepeopleinnarrativeandtheauthor’spresentation and development of characters. Character andcharacterizationrelatetowhoexperiencesthemagicalphenomenaandwho presents those events. It also relates to who are considered asordinarypeopleandthosewhoareincludedasmagicalbeing.
b. Setting: theplace, time, social environment, and theatmosphereof theworld in the story.The setting is also importantbecause it shows, notonlywherethemagicaleventstakeplace,butalsotheenvironmentthatsurroundedtheevents.
3.CharacteristicsofMagicalRealism
In Ordinary Enchantments: Magical Realism and the Remystification ofNarrative(2004), Faris suggests that there are five primary characteristics ofmagicalrealism.
a. TheIrreducibleElementsofMagicRobertYoungandKeithHollamandescribetheirreducibleelementas
“somethingwecannotexplainaccordingtothelawsoftheuniverseastheyhave been formulated in Western empirically based discourse, that is,accordingtologic,familiarknowledge,orreceivedbelief”(qtd.inFaris,7).Irreducibleelementcanbepresented in the formofpersonor thing thathave either extraordinary appearance or magical power. Irreducibleelement is accepted as something that really exists in the story, eventhough it cannot be explained by logic, common knowledge, or received
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belief. The irreducible element has a function to serve the ‘magical’elementinthemagicalrealistfiction.
b. UnsettlingDoubts
Faris notes that “before categorizing the irreducible element asirreducible, the reader may hesitate between two contradictoryunderstandingsof events, andhenceexperience someunsettlingdoubts”(17).Thisconfusionrelatestothemagicaleventsinthestory.Thereadersdoubting the magical event that occurs as character’s dream orhallucination,oritreallyhappensasamiracle.
c. ThePhenomenalWorld
Farisexplainsthat“realisticdescriptionscreateafictionalworldthatresembles the one we live in, often by extensive use of detail” (14). Inmagical realist text, the narrator provides detail explanation about theworld in which characters live that similar with readers’ world andcontainsmagicaleventsthatarepresentedwithinobjective facts,suchasplaces,historicalevents,politicalsystem,etc.Even irreducibleelementofmagiccanbesaidascomponentinthephenomenalworld.d. MergingRealms
Thereadersmayexperiencetheclosenessornearmergingofdifferentrealmsorworlds(21). It is thecombinationofmagicalandordinarythatcausingthenear-mergingrealms.Thedifferentrealmsthatareusedcanbebetween the world of human and the world of animal, between thetraditional andmodern, between the ordinary people and thewitch, etc.The combination between these different realms also shows that inmagicalrealism,theboundarybetweenfactandfictionisblur.e. DisruptionsofTime,Space,andIdentity
Faris states, “in addition to merging different worlds, these fictionsdisturb received idea about time, space, and identity” (23). The culturalhybridity ofmagical realismdoes not only interrupt time and space, butalsotheidentityofthecharactersinthestory.
a. TheAdaptationofOtherGenresandModesThefirsttechniquetobedealtismagicalrealism’sadaptationofother
genresandmode.Inmagicalrealism,theaspectofhybridityfocusontheWestern tradition. Hegerfeldt states that “not surprisingly, in magicalrealist fictionfromBritainandotherWesternEnglish-speakingcountries,the reliance on non-Western traditions is not as pronounced as inmany
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1) Installment and subversion:magical realist fiction installs realismto make reader believe that it is the world which reflecting thereality.However,thepresenceofmagicalelementsinthestoryhassubvertedthelawofrealism.Thissubversiontechniqueisalsotheaspectthatdistinguishedmagicalrealistfictionwithrealistfiction.
2) Playing on the fantastic: Hegerfeldt notes that “magical realistfictionuseshesitationinordertoactivelyquestionthatworld-viewfromameta-level,suggestingthatrealitycannotbereducedtotheempirically observable or rationally explicable, but that so-calledfictionneed tobe taken intoaccountsaswell” (90). It canbesaidthat reader hesitation is used in magical realist fiction tounderstandtheworldfromanotherside.
b. MagicalRealistFocalizer
Inmagicalrealisttext, thewriterusesex-centricfocalizer.Hegerfeldtconcludestheex-centricfocalizeraspresentationofnon-dominantworld-view by the characters in marginalized position whose perspective thenarrativeistold(116).Magicalrealismgivesthewritersaroomtoexpressdifferentworld-viewandalsochallengethedominantpowersandculturalcentresthroughcharacter’sperspective.
c. ParadigmsofKnowledge
Thistechniquerelatestohowmagicalrealistfictionconcernswiththeissueofknowledgeandknowledgeproductionbyquestioningwhetherthestory is fiction or fact. Hegerfeldt states that “violating the norms of theliterary system and the dominant world-view at every turn, magicalrealismunsettlesreceivednotionsandconventionsinordertore-evaluatehuman strategies of knowing and explaining the world” (157). By usingthistechnique,thewritersofmagicalrealistfictiontrytomakeuseofbothofmythosandlogosinordertoexplaintheworld.Inmagicalrealistfiction,mythos and logos are treated fairly as a tool to understand how humanmindworksandhowtheytrytomakesenseoftheirworld.d. StrategiesofDestabilization
Inthistechnique,thewritersofmagicalrealistfictionwillpresenttherealasfantasticandthefantasticasreal.Thistechniquerequirestwoways,naturalizationof the fantasticandsupernaturalizationof theextratextualworld.Naturalizationmeans that the fantastic is described as somethingordinaryandusual,while supernaturalizationmeans that theordinary ispresentedasodd,incredible,andunreal.Itcanbesaidthatthistechniquedoesnotonlydependsonthereaders’familiaritywithrealistconvention,butalsotheirknowledgeofempiricalreality.
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e. TechniquesofLiteralization
Taken from Tzvetan Todorov idea as hewrites inTheFantastic that“the supernatural often appears because we take a figurative senseliterally” (qtd. in Hegerfeldt, 235), Hegerfeldt agrees that this case alsooccurred inmagical realist fiction. Shenotes that “through techniques ofliteralization, magical realist fiction puts the immaterial on a par withempirical reality: endowed with material existence, metaphors andmemories, concepts and emotions are shown to be as important as thematerialworld”(236).Thistechniquefocusesontheuseoflanguagesuchasfigurativeandmetaphorthatareusedinthetextandhowtheyaretakeninliteralsense.
5. TheRoleofMagicalRealism
Hegerfeldt, through examined of magical realist techniques, notes thatmagical realismhas a function inwhich “each in theirownway, they suggestthat reality is not merely a matter of the physical senses and empiricalobservation, but that other, non-material factors such as language and beliefalso enter into human constructions of the world, and must therefore beacknowledged”(288).Shearguesthattheworldandrealityareconstructednotonlybymaterialaspects,butalsothenon-materialonelikelanguageandbelief.Magical realism can be used as an inquiry into human thoughts in order toanalyzehownon-material factor like languageandbelief canaffect individualorcommunityinperceivingrealityandhowitinfluencesbehavior.
Initsrelationwithchildren,Bowersarguesthat“magicalrealismprovidesa perfectmeans for children to explore theworld through their imaginationswithout losingaconnection towhat theyrecognizeas the ‘realworld’” (100).Magicalrealismallowschildrentoexploretheworldfromvariousperspectives.Also,childhoodisanearlystageofhumandevelopmentwherepeoplestarttoperceivetheworldandrealityandhowtheyareconstructed.Analyzingmagicalrealistfictionthatusingperspectiveofchildrencanhelpreaderstounderstandhow factors of ‘magic and ordinary’ are responsible to influence childrenperceptionofreality.
Qualitativeresearchisconcernedwithqualitativephenomenonthatisrelatingto or involvingquality. It is interested in investigating the reasons forhumanbehaviorlikewhypeoplethinkordocertainthingsandhowtheyfeelaboutaparticular subject. It is descriptive because the subject and object of the
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researcharedescribedthroughwords.The research approach in this thesis is post-structuralism approach.
According to Bowers, post-structuralism is “a form of late twentieth-centuryliterarytheorythatchallengesstructuralistassumptions,rejectsMarxist ideasand emphasizesmultiple interpretations of texts” (128). She further explainsthat post-structuralism sought to reveal the instability of the system and therelianceof thesystemof languageupon“difference”(128).Post-structuralismallowsmultipleinterpretationofnarrativetext.BecauseTheOceanattheEndofthe Lane has been considered as a fantasy fiction, the researcher aims tointerpret thisnovelasamagical realist fiction.Thus, thisapproach isused inthisthesistoanalyzeTheOceanattheEndoftheLane.2. DataandDataSource
ThesourceofdatainthisresearchisanovelentitledTheOceanattheEndoftheLane, written by Neil Gaiman. The researcher used the e-book versionthat was published by Headline Publishing Group in 2013. The data of thethesis were the narrations and dialogues in the novel that related to thetheoriesofmagicalrealismthatwereused.3. DataCollection
Themethodofdatacollectioninthisthesiswascontentanalysis.Therearesome steps that the researcher used in collecting the data. The first step isreadingTheOceanattheEndoftheLanenovel.Then,theresearchermarksthepartsthatrelatedtothetopicthatisdiscussed.Afterthat,theresearcherwritesthenotesaboutthedatathathasbeenfoundforfurtheranalysis.4. ValidityData
Inordertovalidatethedata,theresearcherusestriangulation.Thevalidityof data in this research is proven by using theoretical triangulation. In thisthesis, the theories that would be used in examining the data were thecharacteristics ofmagical realism byWendy B. Faris, literary techniques androleofmagicalrealismbyAnneC.Hegerfeldt.Byusingtheoreticaltriangulation,theresearcherisabletoprovidemoreaccuratedataregardingofthetopicthatisanalyzed.5. DataAnalysis
The data that have been collected is analyzed using the frameworkdeveloped by Kaelan (2012). In this research, there are some steps that theresearcherusedtoanalyzethedatathathavebeencollected.Firstisreduction.It istheprocessinreducingthedatathathavebeencollected.Inthisprocess,thedataarecategorizedintothreegroupsaccordingtothetheories.Secondisdisplay. It is the process in displaying and analyzing the data. The data isclassifiedsystematicallyandmorespecificaccordingtotypesofeachcategories(characteristic, literarytechnique,androleofmagicalrealism)thathavebeenexplainedinthepreviouschapter.Thelaststepisdrawingconclusion.Itistheprocess of drawing or verifying the conclusion after analyzing the data. The
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conclusions are drawn after considering the relevant data and evidence. Thispartisthelaststepthatcontainstheresultforthisresearch.
D. FINDINGSANDDISCUSSION
1. Findings
1.1 CharacteristicsofMagicalRealism
a. TheIrreducibleElementsofMagicThe first characteristic of magical realism is irreducible elements of
magic.ThischaracteristicisepitomizedbytheHempstocks.Thenarratororprotagonist,asthemaincharacter,firstmettheHempstockshewassevenyearsold.TheHempstockswasafamilywholivedinthefarmhouseattheendofthelane.ThisfamilyconsistedofLettie,hermotherGinnie,andhergrandmother Old Mrs Hempstock. The Hempstocks are included asirreducibleelementsofmagicbecausetheyhavemagicalpower,somethingthatcannotbeexplainedbyscientificknowledge.
‘You’reinalotoftrouble,youngman.’saidmyfather.Snip!Snip!Snip!went the black scissors, and the irregular section offabricthatOldMrsHempstockhadbeencuttingfelltothetable.My parents froze. They stopped talking, stopped moving. Myfather’s mouth was still open, my mother stood on one leg, asunmovingasifshewereashop-windowdummy.(Gaiman79)The quotation above shows magical event that was performed by
Lettie’s grandma, Old Mrs Hempstock. In order to erase his parents’memories, Old Mrs Hempstock used ordinary things such as scissors,needle, and a spool of thread. By using those things, OldMrsHempstockwasabletoerasehisparents’memoryaboutincidentwherehisfathertriedto drown him in the bathtub. She was also able to change the situationrelatedtothearrivalofnarrator’sparentsintheHempstocks’farm.Insteadof picking their son up, the narrator’s parents came to give him histoothbrushbecause they thoughthewould staywith theHemptocks thatnight.ThiseventoccurredbecauseoftheHempstocks’magicalpower.Thenarrator’s parents totally forgot that their son was running away fromhome. The events related to the narrator’s parents are something thatcannotbeexplainedbyrationalmind.
b. UnsettlingDoubtsThe combination between magical and ordinary caused two
contradictoryunderstandingsofevents.Itleadstothefeelingofhesitationas to how interpret the events. The presence of irreducible elements ofmagicisalsooneoftheaspectsthatcancreatetheunsettlingdoubts.The
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Hempstocks as the irreducible element caused thehesitationabout theirnature.Thishesitationisalsosharedbytheprotagonist.
‘Youaren’tpeople,’Isaid.‘Aretoo.’Ishookmyhead.‘Ibetyoudon’tactuallylooklikethat,’Isaid.‘Notreally.’Lettieshrugged.‘Nobodylookslikewhattheyreallyareontheinside.Youdon’t.Idon’t.Peoplearemuchcomplicatedthanthat.It’strueofeverybody.’(Gaiman89)The dialogue above shows the protagonist’s hesitation about the
statusoftheHempstocks.Theirmagicalpowertochangethesituationandextraordinary knowledge were things that could not be possessed byordinaryhuman.However,Lettie insisted that theywerehuman too, justliketheprotagonist.Shearguedthat“Nobodylookslikewhattheyreallyareontheinside”,which implied thathowpeople lookedoutsidemightbedifferentwithhowtheylookedinside.Thus,althoughtherewasalackofexplanationabouttheirstatus,buttheHempstocksarestillacceptedasrealpeopleexistedintheprotagonist’sworld.
c. ThePhenomenalWorld
Thephenomenalworldcontainsobjectivetruthsthatcanbefoundinthe realworld. In the very beginning of the novel, thewriter presents ageographicallocationwherethestorytakesplace.Thesettingisdescribedbythenarratorinarealisticway.
I drove alongwinding Sussex country roads I only half remember,untilIfoundmyselftowardsthetowncentre,soIturned,randomly,downanotherroad,andtooka left,andaright. Itwasonly thenthat I realizedwhere Iwas going,where I had been going all along,andIgrimacedatmyownfoolishness.(Gaiman12)SussexisahistoriccountyofsoutheasternEngland.Itisanameofreal
placewhich locatedinrealworld.ByusingSussexasasettingofstory, ittriggers commonknowledge about Sussex. Besides, using real place as asettingalsocantriggerknowledgeaboutotherthingthatrelatedtoitsuchasthebuilding,society,andotherobjectthatcanbefoundintherealworld.Itisimportanttopresenttherealisticdescriptioninordertoconvincetheideathatmagicaleventsreallyhappeninreality.
d. MergingRealms
Theconflationornear-mergingoftworealmsisthenextcharacteristicofmagical realist fictions. In this novel, thenaturalworldwas combinedwith the supernatural, blurring the boundary between fact and fantasy.The near-merging realms happens between the world of human andmythicalcreature.
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had grown up in. The sky of this place was dull orange of awarning light; the plants, which were spiky, like huge, raggedaloes,wereadarksilverygreen,andlookedas if theyhadbeenbeatenfromgun-metal.(Gaiman39)Theparagraphaboveshowsthat therewasanotherrealmbesidethe
humanworld.WhenthenarratormetUrsulaMonktonforthefirsttime,hedidnotbelievethathestillstayedinthesameworldbecauseitlookedsodifferent. The near-merging realms happens because there is thetransgressionbetweenrealms.Inthisnovel,themomentthenarratorandLettie stepped into Ursula’s realm shows that they transgressed theboundary between human realm and supernatural realm. Thistransgression proves that the near-merging realms does happen in thenovel.
‘Howoldareyou,really?’Iasked.‘Eleven.’‘I thought for a while. Then I asked, “How long have you beenelevenfor?’(Gaiman32)Thedialogueaboveshowsthattherewasatimedisorder.Itdoesnot
followtheconceptoftimeinscientific-view.Noonecouldstayelevenforalong period. Yet, Lettie was still eleven years for a long time. Even herphysical appearance did not change. This confusion related to theHempstocks’showsthedisruptionoftimeinthestory.
1.2 LiteraryTechniquesofMagicalRealism
a. TheAdaptationofOtherGenresandModesThe first literary technique to be dealt ismagical realist adaptation of
other genres andmodes. The hybridity ofmagical realism comes from theadaptation of Western traditions namely literary realism and literaryfantastic. The techniques that will be discussed under this topic areinstallment-subversion (Lodge 25) andplaying on the fantastic (Hegerfeldt90).1) InstallmentandSubversion
Thefirsttechniquetobediscussedundertheadaptationofothergenres and modes is technique of installment and subversion. Theinstallmenttechniquerelatestotheuseofobjectivetruthinordertobuildrealisminmagicalrealistfiction,whilesubversionisappliedto
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presentthemagicalevents.TheparagraphwhereOldMrsHempstockwastryingtomanipulatethenarrator’sparents’memoriesisaperfectexample where installment is used and immediately followed bysubversion.
Sheputthedressinggowndownonthetable,infrontofOldMrsHempstock. Then she pulled out from the front pocket of herapronapairof scissors,blackandold,a longneedle, andaspoolofredthread.(Gaiman78)This quotationpresents the installment in the formof ordinary
things such the dressing gown, pair of scissors, a long needle, andspoolofredthread.Itgivesasenseoffamiliaritybecauseinrealworld,those thingscanbe foundeasily.Nevertheless, theseordinary thingsareused topresentmagicalevent ina realisticphenomenon.This iswherethesubversiontechniquefollowedaftertheinstallment.
Ginnie Hempstock said, ‘They’re fine. Just a little snipping,thenalittlesewing,andit’llallbegoodasgold.’Shereacheddown to the table, pointed to the crap of faded dressing gowntartan resting upon it. ‘That’syour dad and you in the hallway,andthat’sthebathtub.She’ssnippedthatout.Sowithoutanythat,there’snoreasonforyourdaddytobeangrywithyou.’ (Gaiman79)Thequotationshowshowmagicaleventispresentedasordinary.
When the protagonist asked Lettie’s mother what she did, Ginnieanswered in a matter-of-fact “just a little snipping, then a littlesewing”. It looks like the sentence implying that there was nothingspecial aboutwhat theHempstocks did. It looks like theywere justdoinganormalactivity likewhatpeopledid.However, this snippingandsewingofthedressinggowncausedtheprotagonist’sparentstoforgettheirmemoriesabouttheincidentinthebathroom.Thus,itcanbesaidthatwhiletheinstallmentprovidestherealism,subversionisusedtopresentthemagicalinmagicalrealistworks.
readers’ hesitation comes into play to decide the matter. Thistechniquerelates tooneofcharacteristicsofmagicalrealismnamelyunsettling doubts. This technique is mostly applied to the eventrelatedtoLettie’socean.
Upon seeing Lettie’s ocean for the first time, the protagonistfoundthatitwasinthesizeofaduckpond.Becauseofthat,hebecameskepticaltobelievethatitwasoceaninsteadofaduckpond.HeeventoldLettieabouthishesitationregardingoftheocean.
‘It’sjustpretending,though,’Itoldher,feelinglikeIwaslettingchildhooddownbyadmitting it. ‘Yourpond. It’snotanocean. Itcan’tbe.Oceansarebigger thanseas.Yourpond is just apond.’
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Inmagicalrealistfiction,thenarrativeistoldfromex-centricfocalizerorperspective of characters in marginalized position (Hegerfeldt, 116). Theevents in thenovelwereseen largely through theeyesof thenarratorwhowasrememberinghischildhood.Thereasonofusingperspectiveofchildreninmagicalrealistfictionisbecausechildrenareusuallyconsideredmarginaltoadultsbecauseadultshavepowertocontrolchildren.
Therearetimeswhenthenarratorclearlyshowedhowhe,asachild,isbeingmarginalizedbyadults.Whenthenarratorwokeupchokingonasilvershilling, he thought that he could not talk about it with anyone, especiallyadults.Even thoughheknewwhathehad justexperiencedwas trueand itdidhappen,heknewnoonewouldbelievehim.
Iwanted to tell someoneabout theshilling,but Ididnotknowwhototell.IknewenoughaboutadultstoknowthatifIdidtellthemwhathad happened, I would not be believed. Adults rarely seemed tobelievemewhenItoldthetruthanyway.Whywouldtheybelievemeaboutsomethingsounlikely?(Gaiman30)Narrator’s hesitation to tell adults about magical event that had
happened to him attests that there are different perspectives betweenchildrenandadults.Asachild,hecouldbelievethatmagicexistedandwhathappenedtohimwasreal.Hedidnotneedrational-scientificviewtoexplainhowtheshillingwasinhisthroat.However,hecouldnottellittoadults.Heknew that adults would not believe in magic. Adults’ reality is very muchdifferent with children. Adults need rational view in order to explaineverything in this world. Thus, it can be seen how different children fromadultsinperceivingreality,especiallywhenitrelatestomagicalphenomena.
c. ParadigmsofKnowledge
This technique concerns with the issue of knowledge and knowledgeproductionthatarepresentedwithinthenovel.InTheOceanattheEndoftheLane,theformsofbothofrational-scientificparadigmandbeliefareappliedtoexplainLettie’socean.Thescientific-viewispresentedbytheprotagonist’sfatherwhenprotagonistaskedhimaboutthematter.
‘Just thinking,’ I said. ‘Could you have an ocean thatwas as small as apond?’‘No,’ said my father. ‘Ponds are pond-sized, lakes are lake-sized.
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Seasareseasandoceansareoceans.Atlantic,Pacific,Indian,Arctic.Ithinkthat’salloftheoceansthereare.’(Gaiman26)The quotation above shows that the scientific view is used as a valid
paradigmofknowledge.Whentheprotagonistaskedwhetheranoceancouldbe as small as a pond, his father clearly answered ‘no’. He gave theprotagonisttheknowledgeaboutoceaninthewayscienceseesit.
While the protagonist’s father served a purpose as a representative ofthe scientific-view, Lettie Hempstock was giving the insight of anotherparadigm based on her belief.When the protagonist approached the samematteraboutoceantoher,shegaveadifferentanswer.‘It’sasbigasitneedsto be,’ said LettieHempstock, nettled ... (Gaiman 90). She did not insistthatoceanshouldbeinacertainsizetobecalledocean.Shebelievedthatheroceanwasbigenoughtobeconsideredasoceaneventhough itagainst thelogicalthinking.
Theexplanationsfrombothoftheprotagonist’s fatherandLettieabouttheoceanshowingthattherearetwowaysofproducingknowledge.Thefirstoneisbasedonscienceormeasurablefactswhichcanbecalledasobjectiveknowledge and the second one is based on personal belief which can becalledassubjectiveknowledge.Thus,itcanbeconcludedthatbothofscienceandbeliefinthisnovelservesthesamepurposewhichistoexplainthewaypeople see the things in the world is influenced by their objective andsubjectiveknowledge.
d. StrategiesofDestabilization
Strategiesofdestabilizationisatechniquewherethenarrativepresentsthe real as fantastic and the fantastic as real. This technique requires twoways,naturalizationandsupernaturalization.Naturalizationmeans that thefantastic is described as something ordinary while supernaturalizationmeansordinary ispresentedas fantastic.The techniqueofnaturalization isclearlyappliedintheeventwhereOldMrsHempstockwasmanipulatingtheprotagonist’sparents’memories.Insteadofdoingmagicusingfantastictoolslikeamagicwandormagicpotion, she justdid itwithsomethingordinarylikealongneedleandspoolofredthread.
GinnieHempstock said, ‘They’re fine. Just a little snipping, thenalittle sewing,and it’ll allbegoodasgold.’She reached down to thetable,pointedtothescrapoffadeddressinggowntartanrestinguponit.‘That’syour dad and you in the hallway, and that’s the bathtub. She’ssnipped that out. So without any of that, there’s no reason for yourdaddytobeangrywithyou.’(Gaiman78)Paragraph above shows the conversation between Lettie’smother and
theprotagonist. Sheexplained it like itwas justordinaryactivity.Althoughwhat Old Mrs Hempstock did was actually erasing his parents’ memoriesrelatedtotheincidentinthebathtub,GinnieHempstockonlyregardeditasanordinary act of snipping and sewing.Thus, it proveshownaturalizationwaspresentedinthisnovel.
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However,atthesamemoment, ifseeingfromprotagonist’sperspective,the snipping and sewing thatwere performed by OldMrs Hempstockwasstillconsideredasa fantasticevent.Hewas inawetoseehowthesnippingand sewing activity could affect his parents’ situation. Thus, this momentservedtwo-sidedmirrors,thenaturalizationofthefantasticandatthesametime, supernaturalization of the real. The Hempstock took the event asordinary thing of snipping and sewing of a dressing gown, while theprotagonistthoughtofitassomethingunrealbecausetheactivityofsnippingandsewingwerecausinghisparentstolosetheirmemories.
e. TechniquesofLiteralization
In magical realist fictions, magical events are presented in figurativelanguage. So, tomakemagical events are accepted as real, themeaning offigurative language should be taken in literal sense. One of the types offigurative language that is found in thisnovel ismetaphor.Griffithexplainsthatmetaphor“comparesthingsthatareessentiallyunlike,butiteliminatesthe comparative words and thus equates the compared items (96)”.Techniqueofliteralizationthatrelatestometaphorinthisnovelcanbeseenwhenthenarrator’sparentscameto introduceUrsulaMonktonwhowasinhumanformastheirhousekeeper.
MymotherwasintherewithawomanIhadneverseenbefore.WhenIsaw her, my heart hurt. I mean that literally, not metaphorically:therewasamomentarytwingeinmychest, justa flash,and then itwasgone.(Gaiman45)Themoment thenarrator sawUrsula, he felt his heart hurt. “Myheart
hurt” is an expression that can be understoodmetaphorically. If it is takenmetaphorically, the phrase is used to express feeling and emotion like sad,sorrow,andpain.However,as thenarratorstated “Imean that literally,notmetaphorically”, the phrase means that his heart was really hurt. He evengavedescriptionaboutwhathe feltclearly like“amomentarytwinge inmychest”. Technique of literalization is used in the novel in order to inducereadertoacceptthatmagicaleventsreallyhappen.
It has been explained in the previous analysis about magical realistfocalizer, when the protagonist experienced unusual event like waking upchokingonasilvershilling,hecouldnottalktosomeone.Heevencouldnottellhis parents about it. He knew that most adults were having a hard timebelieving in something unusual. It shows how the protagonist as a childperceived reality. He did not deny or refuse to acknowledge what he hadexperiencedasanillusionordream.Althoughhecouldnotmakesenseofhow
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the shillingendedup inhis throatorhow thewormenteredhis foot, he stillbelieved that those things happened to him. But he knew that adults wouldreactdifferently,especiallyaboutsomethingsounlikely.
In conclusion, this novel shows thatmagical realism served as a tool tounderstand human mind and the way they perceive reality. It shows howchildren and adults can be different in perceiving reality. Thenarrator/protagonist,asachild,canacceptmagicalthingslikehowitisshownin the novel. He believed that the Hempstocks possessed magical powerbecause he witnessed how Old Mrs Hempstock manipulated his parents’memories.HeacceptedthatLettie’soceaninthesizeofaduckpondwasreallyocean after he submerged in it. He admitted that Ursula Monkton was amonsterwhowantedtousehisbodyasaportalandeventoldhisfamilyaboutit.Healsobelievedthatwhatheexperiencedwiththesilvershillingwasarealthing,andnotonlyapartofdreamorillusion.
2. DiscussionsBased on the analysis, each characteristic is related to one another. The
merging realmshappensbecause there is fusionof irreducible elements (likethe Hempstocks, Ursula Monkton, and hunger birds) and phenomenal worldwhere the characters live in. This merging realms is also causing unsettlingdoubtslikewhenthenarrator/protagonistaskswhetherLettie’sandherfamilyarehumanornotandwhenheisquestioningwhetherLettie’soceanisoceanoronlyaduckpond.Thedisruptionoftime/space/identityispresentedmostlybytheirreducibleelements,theHempstockandUrsulaMonkton.
Besidesthecharacteristics,thefivebasicsofliterarytechniquesofmagicalrealism are also found in this novel. The first technique, adaptation of othergenresandmodes,isthetechniquethatisusedtobuildthephenomenalworld.Thesecondtechniqueismagicalrealistfocalizer.Thistechniquerelatestohowthe character portrays magical events and how he reacts on it. The thirdtechnique isparadigmofknowledge.This techniquehasa function toexplainthemagical events that happen in the story based on science andbelief. Theresult of this analysis shows that there are twoways of seeing theworld; bysubjective and objective knowledge. The fourth technique is strategies ofdestabilization.Itrelatestothepresentationof ‘magic’and‘ordinary’.Thelasttechnique is literalization. In order to believe that merging realms reallyhappens, all kind of figurative language that are used in the novel should betakeninliteralmeaning.
Theimportanceofmagicalrealismanditsconnectiontothereallifeinthisnovelshowshowchildrenpresentalternateperceptionof theworld.Throughmagical phenomena that thenarrator/protagonist experienced, especially theterror and nightmare that are caused by Ursula Monkton, readers can learnhow in the end the narrator/protagonist is able to face and resolve hisproblems. It gives readers, especially thosewho experience difficult situationlike the narrator/protagonist, encouragement to overcome their problems or
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situations.
E. CONCLUSIONS
After analyzing the aspects ofmagical realism inGaiman’sTheOceanattheEndoftheLanenovel, the researcher concluded some statements. First, the fivecharacteristicsofmagical realismare found in thenovel,namely (a) irreducibleelementsofmagicthatcomesintheformofothercharactersliketheHempstocks,UrsulaMonkton, thehungerbirdsorvarmints,andalsosettingwhich isLettie’socean,(b)unsettlingdoubtsthatrelatetothepresenceoftheHempstocksandthemystery surrounding Lettie’s ocean, (c) phenomenalworld that is found by theuse of Sussex, description of the Hempstocks’ farm, and other real objects, (d)merging realms happens because there is transgression between thenarrator/protagonist’sworldandUrsula’sworld,andbetweenhumanrealmandghost,and(e)disruptionoftime/space/identitythatarepresentedalongwiththeirreducibleelementsofmagic.
SecondishowliterarytechniquesofmagicalrealismarerepresentedinTheOceanattheEndoftheLane.Thefirsttechniqueisadaptationofothergenresandmodes. This technique is represented in twoways. The first is installment andsubversion that lead to the creation of the phenomenal world. The second isplaying on the fantastic that creates one of characteristic of magical realismnamely unsettling doubt. The next technique is magical realist focalizer that isrepresentedusingperspectiveofachildcharacter.Thethirdtechnique,paradigmof knowledge is represented using both science and belief to explain the eventrelatedtoLettie’socean.Thefourthisstrategiesofdestabilizationthatusedtwoways of presenting the event; treat magical events as normal and make theordinary as fantastic. The last is technique of literalization that is representedusing figurative language namely metaphor and hyperbole which meaning aretakeninliteralsense.
The last is about role of magical realism. TheOceanat theEndof theLane
showshowmagicalrealismservedasatooltounderstandhumanmindandthewaythecharacterperceivesreality.Magicalphenomenathathappeninthenovelhaveabig influencetothenarrator/protagonist’sperceptionofreality.Also, thenarrator/protagonist can see the difference between him as a child and hisparentsasadultsindealingwiththesemagicalphenomena.Hecanacceptthesethings as his reality even though it goes unexplained. On the other hand, hisparents show the difficulty in accepting themagical phenomena. Thus,magicalrealism in thisnovel shows thedifferent constructionabout theworldbetweenchildren and adults’ perspective. Children’s perspective is influencedmostly bysubjectiveknowledge,whileadults’isusuallyinfluencedbyobjectiveknowledge.Theseperspectivesthenaffecttheiractionandbehaviorintheworld.
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Griffith, Kelley.Writing Essays About Literature: A Guide and Style Sheet. 2nd Ed.USA:HarcourtBraceJovanovich,1982.Print.
Hegerfeldt, Anne C. (Costerus New Series 155) Lies that Tell the Truth: MagicalRealism Seen through Contemporary Fiction from Britain. Amsterdam:Rodopi,2005.PDFFile.
