What is metaphysical fiction? What's the difference between it and magical fiction, fantasy?

Ans:

Difference between fantasy, magic and metaphysical fiction (from the Internet)

What is often referred to as fantasy can be broadly categorized into two types: Western and Japanese.

Western-style fantasy has the deepest roots, from the Lord of the Rings back to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and then to the Greek and Nordic ancient myths, everywhere there is a brand of Western culture. This cultural system is so different from that of China that in many places it is almost impossible to communicate. Due to the conceptual gap caused by the cultural background, it is a little difficult for Chinese readers to accept it. However, when it comes to the admiration of heroes, the pursuit of heroism, appreciation, the whole world is **** common.

Western fantasy, usually divided into "mainstream fantasy" (Hign Fantasy) and "sword and sorcery" (Sword & Sorcery) two kinds, the former focus on literature (such as the "Lord of the Rings"), the latter is more in favor of the Lord of the Rings The former is more literary (e.g., The Lord of the Rings), while the latter is more of an adventure, battle, and is more like an "action movie".

Japanese fantasy, in fact, is the product of the combination of Western fantasy and Japanese culture, and Japanese culture has a Chinese cultural lineage. Therefore, it is easier for Japanese fantasy to win the closeness of Chinese readers than Western fantasy. Coupled with the promotion of wonderful animation, Japanese fantasy is easy to break open a road in China.

Japanese fantasy is mostly a combination of Japanese bushido spirit, Western fantasy stories, and Chinese strategy and wisdom. The cultural roots are weak, but the entertainment is strong, and the characterization is often very flashy.

Some horror novels, with modern life as the background, adding vampires, werewolves, ghosts and other elements, can barely be categorized as fantasy, or categorized as fantasy novels and horror novels bordering on the edge of the fantasy category.

The so-called "historical hollow" novels are usually fictionalized worlds, or a period of history, and then use them as the basis for creating legends, in which there is not much magic, sorcery, gods and monsters, and are basically written using the techniques of historical novels, and the ability of the characters does not exceed the limits of a normal human being. This kind of novel "possibility" is not big, "authenticity" is stronger, is considered a cross category of fantasy and historical fiction.

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Magical fiction is by no means "magical fantasy", but has an entirely different definition that is far from what is commonly thought of.

Magic fiction, or "magical realist fiction," is a literary genre that has emerged mainly in Latin America. This genre of creative techniques, the shocking reality and disorientation of the illusion combined together, through extreme exaggeration and the art of interlacing the real and imaginary strokes to network personnel, weaving the plot, in order to depict and reflect the intricate historical, social and political phenomena.

Magic realism novels, often using the plausible but not, seemingly not but is, "change fantasy for reality without losing its true" approach. Typical magical novels are characterized by: deformation of real life; inclusion of mysterious, magical and even bizarre content; and strong social conflicts and political struggles.

If realism is a mirror of society, then the technique of magic realism is compared to a ha-ha mirror of society. Although it is shrouded in a mysterious shell, but still to depict the real world. Only, it does not take a realistic approach, but the use of hyperbole, irony.

The biggest difference between magic fiction and the other three types of fantasy fiction is that it must be based on reality. Its "fantasy" is to increase the mysterious atmosphere, to strengthen the irony, the kernel is still real life.

For example, the famous magical novel One Hundred Years of Solitude, if you remove the "fantasy" content, it can be put together with Les Miserables, War and Peace and other works.

At the beginning of "One Hundred Years of Solitude", it is written that the gypsies hold two magnets "...... from house to house ...... iron pots, iron pots, iron tongs, and small iron stoves have fallen from their original positions, and the wooden boards have been broken out of their original positions because of the nails and screws that were desperately trying to break free. The wooden boards rattled as the nails and screws tried desperately to break free ...... and rolled about in the wake of the two magic irons"; the gypsies brought magnets, telescopes, magnifying glasses and other "new things", but the two magnets had to be exchanged for a big mule and a herd of goats, the magnifying glass for a big mule and a herd of goats, and the magnifying glass for a big mule and a herd of goats. The Gypsies brought "new things" such as magnets, telescopes and magnifying glasses, but the two magnets had to be exchanged for a big mule and a herd of goats, and the magnifying glasses required two magnets plus three gold coins. In order to see the ice, which they had never seen before, the residents had to pay five riyals each, and the price was doubled if they touched it.

Having read the whole book, it is clear from looking back at this episode that this is not about gypsies at all, but is a metaphor for the colonizers' raiding of the poor. One Hundred Years of Solitude is full of such strongly ironic episodes.

Thus, magical fiction is not entertaining fiction at all, but realistic fiction that is exaggerated on the outside, profoundly serious on the inside, and reflective of social issues.

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Metaphysical fiction can be said to be a "fantasy novel with Chinese characteristics" that has emerged in recent years. The principle of its creation is unprincipled, and the basis of its fantasy is ungrounded.

Why?

Why? Because fantasy novels are basically a synthesis of Western fantasy, Chinese martial arts, Japanese animation, science and technology.

Chinese culture is very inclusive, any foreign things can be dissolved into its embrace, and derived or deformed out of some new things.

Metaphysical fiction is exactly the same. Most metaphysical novels take Western magic, Chinese martial arts and strategy, Japanese characterization, plus sci-fi, plus myths (and often Chinese, Indian, and Greek myths coexist ......) to build magical worlds and wonderful stories.

When it comes to fiction and fantasy, metafiction is the freest of the four types of fantasy. It writes about the future of science and technology, but does not need to be verified with scientific theories; it writes about magic, and does not test the system of Western sorcery; it writes about martial arts, but it is more magical and powerful than the traditional martial arts, often beyond the limits of human physiology ...... Whether it is the structure of the virtual world, or the characters experience, are metaphysical, the sky is the limit, and freedom is unparalleled.

Metaphysical fiction is often criticized. Science fiction fans scolded it "nonsense", fantasy fans also scolded it "nonsense". I do not know, the characteristics of the fantasy novel is nonsense, no principle, no basis. However, this kind of nonsense has its own theoretical system and setting, regardless of whether this system can stand up to rigorous examination.

Metaphysical novels can be said to be completely opposed to magical realism novels. Magic realism is the rendering of "illusion" as the main writing of real events; metaphysical fantasy is the real events as the plot surface, the main writing of "illusion".

In the four types of fantasy novels, fantasy novels are the most "fantasy" category. Because there are fewer constraints, so they can be free to do whatever they want, and they are often painful to read, very ***. Therefore, despite the "orthodox science fiction" and "orthodox fantasy" on the metaphysical fantasy greatly deprecated, the metaphysical fiction still has a fairly large number of readers.

The reason for the popularity of metaphysical novels is that characters in metaphysical novels often have extraordinary abilities and great freedom to do whatever they want. For ordinary people, this is a great joy and relaxation - the most difficult thing in life is not to do what you want, and metaphysical fiction gives readers the opportunity to relax their minds and experience freedom. Or, metaphysical fiction "read up very addictive".

Metaphysical fiction, because of its own characteristics, it is difficult to make a precise definition of it. Especially in Taiwan, we rarely hear the word "fantasy", but rather metafiction.

Many of the "fantasy", "sci-fi", and even "martial arts" novels we see should be categorized as metaphysical. And a very small portion of the metaphysical novels sold on the market are actually fantasy and science fiction novels.

Metaphysical fiction is hard to get adult readers, but it is often wildly popular with teenage readers. It has the highest number of works, the lowest average level, and is full of trash, so it often gives the impression that "fantasy novels are all bad". In fact, there are some excellent works of fiction.

For the "orthodox" sci-fi fans, fantasy fans, if open-minded, without prejudice to analyze, mystery novels are also considered to have a value of existence of the specialized categories, and will not disappear in the short term, and will even be more powerful. After all, existence is reasonable, the prevalence of mystery novels, is its social psychological roots.

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Source: 2.bareyes/bbs/s/449

Posted by fish in Left Foot. A Novel Posted at 17:04