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1 - Parallelism Between the Fantastical and the Real  

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1 - Parallelism Between the Fantastical and the Real  

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In contrast to fairy tales, where most characters don’t notice the magic as something strange, in neomagical realism, some characters will be aware of the magical world as parallel to the real one.

The creatures in Pan's Labyrinth, that function in the magical realism network, are from a separate realm yet they interact with the historical reality of the  the fascist Spain of 1944.

However, in the dual-layered plot nature of the movie, the real and magical elements coexist separately.

The sole connection between the magical and the real, which are still kept apart, is Ofelia.

by Kamila Izquierdo

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The fantastical realm of the story begins when Ofelia finds a rock that resembles an eye. Near her, she finds a giant statue of a creature made of stone. She notices it’s missing its left eye, so she puts the missing rock into its rightful place. Immediately, a praying mantis emerges from the statue’s mouth. She exclaims, “I saw a fairy!”

by Kamila Izquierdo

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One of the primary characteristics of magical realist fiction is the "irreducible element" of magic, something that is unable to be defined or explained by the laws of the universe as we know it.  Faris and Zamora describe it as, "a disturbing element, a grain of sand in the oyster of that realism." The natural logic of cause and effect is nothing in the face of irreducible magic, which doesn't submit to such reasoning. Although we as viewers may remain skeptical of this element of magic that remains undefinable, the way it's integrated into realist logic can cause us to question that logic as a result of our new fictional rules.

Jahzaiyah Brooks

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In Pan's Labyrinth, when Ofelia opens the book to see her second task, the ink is blood red and begins to bleed over the entirety of the page. She closes the book in fear and sees her mom bleeding profusely; it's unspoken, but it's easy to ascertain that it's serious and there's trouble with both the mother and the baby. The faun gives Ofelia a mandrake root and tells her to put it in a bowl of milk and feed it two drops of blood; placing that under her mother's bed would help her condition. Although she didn't respond to the initial treatment, the mandrake root is what helps Ofelia recover. The natural cause and effect of medicine prescribed by the doctor treating her are replaced by the mandrake root. When the mandrake root is discovered, Ofelia's mother tosses it into the fire. The cry of the mandrake and her mother's debilitating pain are synonymous. Soon after, she died in childbirth.

Jahzaiyah Brooks

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In the movie "[Ofelia] is given an increasing amount of freedom due to her mother’s progressing illness and her stepfather’s utter contempt" (Lukasiewicz). She follows the similar trope of many heroines in media as well as heroes, she ventures off following and ignoring the advice that seeks to guide her. In "traditional fairy tale princesses [are] frequently punished for their arrogance and pride," however she goes unnoticed by the adults in her life allowing her to continue (Lukasiewicz).

She can act as the hero too because once the hero "“exhibits the virtue of compassion—with its logical concomitant of humility—he can do virtually no wrong, even when he violates interdictions, disregards warnings, and ignores instructions” (Lukasiewicz).

Mari-Fe Abay

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The use of Neomagical Realism ties in with the trope portrayed in the movie. The portrayal of Ofelia as a reincarnated princess having to endure trials that are magical in nature define her as a heroine. It includes magical realism because these tasks are not questioned and often overlap with her non magical side of reality.

The tasks are given by a faun to prove her worth and return to her kingdom. The faun, Pan, is an accepted truth in the reality within the movie taking on a guiding role that acts as both a helper and an aggressor when later on Pan punishes her for acting against the warnings given.

She acts with compassion many times, such as when she refuses to spill her brothers blood to open the alter but this act of defiance is the last test that she passes that rewards her with a throne and a lifetime of fairytale happiness. This act of compassion as she laid dying excused her earlier disobedience and pushed her towards 'The End.'

Mari-Fe Abay

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Linda Hutcheon claims that postmodernism is the “ironic reworking of the past” and that it “works with the very systems it attempts to subvert” (1988: 4). While emphasizing  the self-reflexivity of postmodernist fiction, she analyzes d the inclusion of historical fact in late twentieth-century fiction and names this kind of narrative “historiographic metafiction'. Linda includes Rushdie's Midnight's Children and García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude as prime examples of this kind of fiction and notes that 'its theoretical self-awareness of history and fiction as human constructs . . is made the grounds for its rethinking of the form and contents of the past' (Hutcheon 1988: 5).

Joel Elijah Acosta

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The film takes place in Spain during the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War in 1944, however, the magical creatures are fictional. By combining these fictional and historical elements, the film creates a new and unique story that uses the past as a backdrop to explore themes of power, resistance, and the human condition.

One of the ways the film uses historical metafiction is by portraying the characters in a way that reflects the realities of the time period. The film's protagonist, Ofelia, is a young girl who is caught in the middle of the violence and upheaval of the Spanish Civil War. Her stepfather, Captain Vidal, is a Francoist soldier who represents the oppressive regime of the time. By portraying these characters in this way, the film is able to explore the realities of the time period while also creating a compelling story that is grounded in history.

Another way that the film uses historical metafiction is through its use of symbolism. For example, the labyrinth that Ofelia must navigate represents the complexity and danger of the world around her. The magical creatures she encounters represent different aspects of her journey towards self-discovery. By using these symbols, the film is able to explore complex themes in a way that is accessible and engaging.

joel Elijah Acosta