Like many contemporary South American writers, Marquez writes a kind of fiction called magic realism. This style of writing is characterized by elements of fantasy (often borrowed from mythology) that are casually inserted into earthy, realistic settings. The magic realists often suspend the laws of nature. When using this bizarre mixture of the commonplace and the outlandish, the magic realists can force us to think about our fixed notions of "reality" and "normality". This blurring of fantasy is often an important part of the themes, or main ideas about life, that the magic realists want to convey.
As you read this story, notice the way he tosses together the offbeat, the commonplace, and the sublime into the strange mix known as magic realism. Notice, too, his unusual, even startling combination of images, and be aware of the things they help you to see. Try to decide why some of the images seem funny, some sad, and some - appropriately enough - magical.
