The Euro :: essays research papers

The Euro has proven to have many advantages for the European Union, putting them on the path for political solidarity. With the Euro comes the elimination of exchange-rate fluctuations, making the fluctuations of currency values across Europe â€Å"a thing of the past†. Price transparency is another advantage of the Euro, which makes it easier to tell if the price of a product in one country is different than the price of the same product in another country. This encourages competition between countries, mobilizing economies to grow and compete with each other in different markets. Transaction costs become much less of a burden to tourists and business people alike when they do not have to constantly exchange their currency from another country when traveling within the European Union. This saves both time and money, which encourages more travel between countries for tourists and business men/women. All of the advantages mentioned so far contribute to the increased trade across borders also. Again, this boosts the economy of the countries within the European Union. With the European Union and it’s currency, the Euro, there is an increased cross-border employment. Businesses are more likely to employ and conduct business across different countries with the introduction of one currency. This means a person could work across the border in another country since the same currency is paid to employees across the European Union. There is an increase in the financial market stability with the introduction of the Euro across many countries as well. One currency means more stability across Europe and the members of the European Union. Inflation rates are decreased, as are the interest rates, to promote the growth of markets in these developing countries. Countries that wanted to become a part of the European Union had to shape up their economies, encouraging a growth in their marke ts, to keep up with the requirements of being a part of the European Union.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Euro’s position relative to the U.S. dollar and the potential political and economic consequences in relations between the U.S. and the European Union are very important topics when discussing trade between these nations. First, the Euro is worth 135% of one U.S. dollar. This should make it clear that we have to focus on exporting more of our goods to the European Union and its members rather than buying (importing) more of their goods during this time.

Treasure Island :: Free Essays Online

Treasure Island Robert Louis Stevenson was born on November 13, 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the only child of Thomas Stevenson and Margaret Isabella Balfour. Stevenson's father belonged to a family of engineers who were responsible for many of sea lighthouses built around the coast of Scotland. His mother, Margaret, came from a family of church ministers and lawyers. Due to his father's distinguished career, it was naturally believed that Stevenson would follow in his father's footsteps, just as other family members had accomplished through the generations. Surprisingly found, writing would be his natural calling. At age two, Stevenson caught what is known as the croup, which is an inflammatory disease of the larynx and trachea. As a young child, Stevenson was plagued with illnesses, just as his mother. It was originally believed that Stevenson might have inherited tuberculosis from his mother Margaret. It is somewhat ironic that the actual cause of his premature death was due to a cerebral hemorrhage just as his father apparently died due to thrombosis, or the clotting of his blood. Unfortunately, Stevenson’s health was continually questionable throughout his lifetime. In 1867, Stevenson entered Edinburgh University and initially began to work towards a Science degree. He later switched to Civil Engineering to appease his father and spent some time working in the field. His interest in writing began at an early age but his father hoped to convince Stevenson that it was a great hobby because his father had aspirations of him carrying on with the family tradition and become a civil engineer. Coincidentally, while Stevenson was vacationing on an island named Earraid, he met a stonemason, who at the time was working on a lighthouse, named John Silver. This name will eventually be used and well known in his famous novel, Treasure Island. The summer of 1881 proved to be a turning point in Stevenson's career. Shortly after his marriage to Fanny Osbourne, Stevenson would begin a novel, which would mark the beginning of his career. Due to inclement weather and Stevenson’s questionable health, the family spent an increased amount of time indoors. On one particular day, Stevenson and his stepson Lloyd drew and labeled a map, which would eventually be the inspiration for Treasure Island. The map triggered Stevenson's imagination and he began by writing a chapter a day, a total of nineteen, and read the chapters aloud nightly to his family for entertainment.

Issues Concerning African Americans and Puerto Ricans Essay

There are four major ethnic, cultural and racial groups present in the United States today. These groups which compose the nation’s population are the African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic and Native Americans or the Non-Hispanic Whites. From the dawn of time, issues of racial profiling have haunted the American Society, although United States of America is said to be the birthplace of patriotism unity and believed to be a nation that will adhere to intense dedication to freedom, justice and equality (Feagin, 1978). The vast diversity of the American population which characterizes the nation’s inhabitants has often resulted to disorder and chaos, as discrimination exists across the nation. Although the government has taken some actions and laws have been made and are implemented, they are not enough to counteract the racism problem at hand which is deeply rooted in the American tradition, as a longer time may deemed necessary before the public become accustomed to a racial free society. If the authorities are keen on abolishing and eliminate racial discrimination, it then important that they see to it that the public would have a better understanding and background of the different ethnic and minority groups. Awareness to their values, customs and traditions are small little steps that may eventually lead to these groups coexistence. For this reason, the paper discusses two of the major groups that play important roles in shaping the United States social structure, the African Americans and the Puerto Ricans. The emergence of Africans Americans or the black Americans population, which are United States residents but with blood lineage from the black racial group of Africa, in the United States can be traced back way before 1800’s as majority of black Americans have their descendants in the United States. While White Americans came to the United States voluntarily, their Black counterparts were not given a choice as majority of the black population came in America as slaves (Feagin, 1978). It is noting to know that among the different ethnics group that come and settled in the United States, African Americans are the only group which have come not in accordance with their own free will. They were used as servants in large agricultural fields. It was believed that the first African American that had entered the borders of the United States settled in Jamestown. Their slavery and the hard labors they performed served as their free passage to the United States as they are compared to English poor people. However during the great American Civil War, by virtue of the proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans became free. But then the post war era, the restoration period, calls for the segregation of blacks from the whites and deteriorates what was supposed to be period of new beginning for the blacks.. In order to free themselves of troubles and violence brought by discrimination, most Black Americans followed the law which dictates racial segregation. However, as violence related to racial discrimination became widespread, calls for abolishing the racial profiling laws also intensify as growing African American heritage and intellect became more evident. The era of civil rights movement which aimed to promote camaraderie and embed equality by eliminating racial discrimination help largely to the Black Americans cause of seeking dignity for their culture and race. Thus, when the Black Power Propaganda was formed a more complex ideology was born as African American seeks for moral dignity, fairness, justice and freedom from white oppression. Today, free from slavery and contributing vastly to economics and politics and enjoying a legal status, Black Americans have enjoyed a great deal of success as they experienced and enjoyed greater rights, far from what were their ancestors have before. However, complete satisfaction and recognition of their rights will have to wait for another few years as white people and custom is still the dominant culture in the United States. The radical change, however, which started from the nineteenth century are strong indications and evidence of the emerging power the African Americans are obtaining. African Americans now have greater access top higher educations and growth in employment as blue and white collar workers are also evident. Disparity between the poverty of black and people have also reduced and many black Americans now have there owned home. However, the sad part is although continuous improvements are achieved each day, black Americans are still at disadvantage with the white people. It can be observed in issues regarding health insurances and benefits and institutional racism, which is very much present especially in middle school’s class. In fact, a report in Rutherford country showed that massive complaints of racial discriminations are filed as parents are alarmed with the growing numbers of black students that are suspended. Compare to their white counterparts, black students continue to be suspended at much higher rates, raising the question of racial discrimination in imposing discipline among the students. In 2006 for instance, 14. 4 % of black students were suspended in the district, which causes a handful of students to lag behind their studies (Scott, 2007). On the other hand rate of suspension for white students stand at 6. 6% (Scott, 2007). Figures and numbers indicate that the rates at which black students are suspended are more than double of the rate at which whites are. This then has poses an alarmed to the black population as their children are put into a disadvantage situation. Just like the African Americans, Puerto Ricans suffer a great deal of oppression and poverty as they occupy the bottom most part of the United States’ social hierarchy for years (Feagin, 1978). They are considered as one of the world’s poorest groups, however, Puerto Rico posses a great link to the Caribbean world and the developing counties across the globe, which the United States social failed to utilize for their own advantage as it failed to realize its importance to the nation. The emergence of the Puerto Rican Ethnic group dates back to the time when the island which was then named as Borinquen, was a colony under the rule of Spain. For 400 years, Spain uses it as a strategic base. The island was a home for different tribes of Taino, however as the Spanish settle with in the island, population of the Indian tribes gradually diminished as generations passed by. Disappearance was due to the fact that Spain used them for forced labor in mines -which causes natives to acquire disease, massive exterminations and racial intermingling and merging. During that time, where in slavery was widespread, large number of African Americans was brought to Puerto to replace the natives as workers. Thus, the present genetic component of a modern Puerto Rican is a mix of Spanish, native Indians and African American. In 1898, as Spain succumb to American power during the Spanish-American War it surrendered Puerto Rico to the United States. Americans deemed Puerto Ricans as ignorant and as result, self governing was denied to them and Puerto Rico become entirely dependent to the US government. Puerto Ricans were left confused politically and culturally as they desperately ask matters about the issue of their citizenship. US Congress however, denied them of acquiring US citizenship relating that Puerto Ricans and Americans should not be treated as equal and they are inferior compare to them. But a year before the US plunged into the World War I, it granted Puerto Ricans US citizenship. With the booming population and stagnant economics, Puerto Rico became one of the poorest countries around the globe in the 1940’s. In an effort to escape the harsh reality of life in the island, many of the population migrated to the United States, bringing with them the hope and the promise of an American Dream. However, the situation would not be different, as immigrants would fail to land jobs and are exploited. Furthermore, housings were prioritized for Native Americans. Language handicapped was also a barrier, which leads to them being discriminated. Puerto Ricans are also identified with Catholicism and Christianity which is teaching based from Spanish colonial times, and since the structure of the American church is Protestant, conflicts often arise. Businessmen of Puerto Rico descends, would often complain of the difficulty in getting loans. With automation starting to engulf the business and industrial sections, Puerto Ricans further sink to the bottom of the social pyramid as they become more isolated, like the black people. There were no opportunities that were presented for them as they lack the skills to land jobs. But then came the era of being unrest, the emergence of Civil Rights Movement and Anti-Poverty Groups in the 1960’s helped Puerto Ricans stimulate and assimilate into the American society, culture and politics (Nash, 2000). The movement and program covers every Puerto Rican and led to astounding solutions to the problems that result from ethnics and cultural differences and inconsistencies which are related to the failure to be in accordance with the dominant American Culture. The emergence of theses groups had opened the eyes of the Puerto Rican public to seek for fair and just treatment and uphold their dignity. Although they have been successful in appealing for changes, after decades of struggling for political representation, culture and customs respect and their placed into the American Society, Puerto Ricans are today just slowly beginning to achieve and realize the progress and results. Whether it is questions about citizenship status, welfare and housing programs, bilingual and multi-cultural education or electoral power, Puerto Ricans had stood the test of time and has proven it is capable of complex assimilation to the dominant American society. However for Puerto Ricans and other ethnic minorities and racial group in America, being subordinate to the dominant American culture is a continued struggle as still they are treated unjustly. References Feagin. J. (1978) Racial and Ethnic Relations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice-Hall. p. 212, p. 298 Scott, B. (2007). Daily Race Colors Suspensions. News Journal Murfreesboro. Nash, K. (2000). Contemporary Political Sociology: Globalization, Politics, and Power. Blackwell Publishers.

JPMorgan Chase Paper Essay

In the summer of 2012, JPMorgan Chase, the largest leading U. S. bank, announced trading losses from investment decisions made by its Chief Investment Office (CIO) of $5. 8 billion. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was provided falsified first quarter reports that hidden this massive loss. Discuss how administrative agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) take action in order to be effective in preventing high-risk gambles in securities / banking, a foundation of the economy. In the summer of 2012, JPMorgan Chase, the largest leading U. S. bank, make known trading losses from investment verdict made by its Chief Investment Office (CIO) of $5. 8 billion. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was provided falsified first quarter reports that concealed this enormous loss. The duty of the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission is to protect investors, uphold fair, organize, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation. Obligatory public companies to disclose meaningful financial information to the public is an effective move toward the SEC takes in order to assure the securities of this nation (U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission). These assist investors prevent high-risk gambles and allows them to make the right decisions when deciding on which companies to invest in. The Commodity Future Trading Commission regulates the product futures and options markets. Its target includes the promotion of competitive and efficient futures markets and the protection of investors against manipulation, abusive trade scheme and fraud (U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission). Both the SEC and the CFTC played a role in investigating the massive trading losses in the case of JPMorgan Chase. The SEC’s investigation could only focus on the suitability and completeness of JPMorgan Chase financial reporting and other public disclosures. However; SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro stated that her agency’s investigation is limited, because the trades happened in divisions of the banking giant that aren’t subject to SEC regulation (CNN Money). The leader of CFTC, Gary Gensler, give an opinion that â€Å"JPMorgan’s losses are worth looking into, because as a U. S. bank, it is an entity with direct admission to the Federal Reserve’s discount window and federal deposit insurance† (CNN Money). Determine the elements of a valid contract, and discuss how consumers and banks each have a duty of good faith and fair dealing in the banking relationship. A contract is a legally obligatory promise or set of promises (Bagley, C. 2013). If this promise is broken, either party involved can be legally responsible and take the other party to court. There are four basic elements in the creation of a valid contract. The first consist of an agreement between the parties involved, by an presented offer and acceptance. The second states that the parties’ promises must be supported by something of worth, known as consideration. The third advises both parties must have the ability to enter into a contract. The fourth element states the contract must have a legal purpose (Bagley, C 2013). The duty of good faith and good dealing is implied in every contract. In recent years the mortgage industry has been seen as a prime example of how consumers and banks need to better understand and adhere to duty of good faith and good dealings. Consumers had the responsibility of understanding the contracts involved in borrowing the money needed for their homes. Banks had the responsibility of knowing who they should lend money to, and the conditions of the rates involved on the loans provided. Relationships between banks and consumers could have been avoided if the duty of good faith and good dealing was implemented on contracts granted between the banks and consumers. Compare and contrast the differences between intentional and negligent tort actions A tort is a body of rights, and obligations that is applied by courts in civil proceedings to provide relief for persons who have suffered harm. Tort means civil wrong resulting in injury to a person or property (Bagley, C. 2013). An intentional tort action is when there is intent to cause harm to a person or property . Intentional torts include things like assault and battery, slander, false imprisonment, libel, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. These torts are often, but not always, the case that an intentional tort is also a criminal act (Bagley, C. 2013). A negligent tort action is when a person is careless to his or her own actions and did not intend to cause harm to a person or property. Even though that person is negligent, he or she is still held legally responsible because of their careless actions. To illustrate the difference between negligence and an intentional tort, let’s look at an example with two different scenarios. The plaintiff is a woman named Ramona, and in both cases, she is suing because of a broken leg. state of affair #1: Ramona is walking down the aisle of Wal-Mart store when she slips and falls on a puddle of cooking oils. The owner of the store was negligent for not cleaning up the spill. Even though the store owner did not intend for Ramona to get hurt, he is still liable for her broken led because his negligence lead to her injury. Scenario #2: Molly is walking to her car when she is assaulted by a man who wants to steal her wallet. The assailant shoves her to the ground, and she breaks her wrist as a result of the attack. The police later catch the assailant, and Molly sues him for her injuries. In both cases the end result is the same; Ramona end up with a broken leg. Both defendants can be held liable for Ramona injuries, but for different reasons. The store owner is liable because he failed to clean up the spilled of oils, which a reasonable person would have done. The assaulter is liable because they intentionally caused harm to Molly by pushing her. Discuss the tort action of â€Å"Interference with Contractual Relations and Participating in a Breach of Fiduciary duty† and, if the bank you’ve chosen were to behave as JP Morgan did, would you be able to prevail in such a tort action. The interference with contractual relations defends the right to enjoy the benefits of legally binding agreements (Bagley, C 2013). The existence of a contract at the time of the assumed interference is what separates tortuous interference with contract from the more complicated to establish tortuous interference with prospective contractual relations. If good grounds exist for the interference, such as the case with JP Morgan, then the defendant would not be liable. With the advent of mobile banking, discuss how banks have protected the software that allows for online transaction to occur through automation. The majority banks inform consumers that they are protected by the Online Banking Security Guarantee, which covers the security of your information and bank accounts. Banks hold a liability of making sure the consumers security is protected, and if dishonored most banks will guarantee up to a 100 percent against theft of your funds from online banking services. While many worry about online banking, there’s good news that mobile banking is to some extent secure just for the reason that there are so numerous variations of banking apps and methods in the market. A thief has no way of predicting which technique a possible victim might use. Cited Work U. S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 1, 2013, from U. S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission: http://www. cftc. gov/index. htm CNN Money (n. d. ). Retrieved March 1, 2013, from http://money. cnn. com/2012/05/22/news/economy/jp-morgan-senate/index. htm U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 1, 2013, from U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission: http://www. sec. gov/ Bagley, C. (2013). Managers and the Legal Environment: Strategies for the 21st Century, 7th Edition. Mason: South-Western, Cengage Learning.

Peter Weir’s film ‘Dead Poets Society’ Essay

One of the major themes/ideas explored in the Dead Poets Society is that of freedom versus conformity. The theme of conformity is introduced in the very opening scenes of the film. Close-ups of the boys chanting in unison, all identically clad in their starched uniforms at a ceremony at Welton Academy, we see that they are conforming to the authority of the school. It is the new teacher Mr Keating who, through his unorthodox methods, encourages the boys to challenge this authority, and break free from the traditional, conservative ways of thinking that have been drilled into them at Welton Academy. He wants them to understand that there is more to life than obeying the orders of others, and in this way the film deals with Weir’s common theme – also explored in Witness and Gallipoli – the quest for personal freedom, and the oppressing effects of society’s institutions. He inspires them to â€Å"Maintain thoughts and beliefs in the face of conformity.† Keating wants them to become â€Å"free-thinkers†, but he is in a way contradicting himself as he forces his own beliefs and philosophy onto the impressionable students rather than letting them think for themselves. This theme of conformity is paralleled on a personal level in Neil’s relationship with his father. Mr. Perry wants the best possible future for his son, and therefore has almost impossible expectations of him. Neil, on the other hand, while always obedient to his father’s wishes, wants to know more about himself. Acting was something that Neil discovered he was not only good at and enjoyed, but was also in a sense an escape from his present reality as it allowed him to pretend to be someone else for a while. Mr Keating’s â€Å"carpe diem† (â€Å"seize the day†) attitude inspired Neil to disobey his father’s wishes by secretly starring in the school play. Neil’s challenging of his father’s authority had devastating consequences, as after a particularly vehement confrontation with him, finally Neil came to believe that the only way to obtain freedom was to take his own life. This final act of non-conformity was not something Mr. Keating would have advocated, but was Neil’s ultimate and desperate defiance towards his father, and a tragic  expression of his independence.

Free Essays on Nations Voting Procedures

The article that I chose for my current events paper came from The New York Times, on September 6, 2002. The title of the article is â€Å"Bill to Overhaul System of Voting Is Seen in Danger†. It was written by Bill Pear. â€Å"Efforts to pass a bill that would clean up the nation’s voting procedures were falling apart as Partisan disagreements grew with the approach of fall elections.† Bipartisan majorities of the House and the Senate voted for different versions of the Legislation, intended to prevent ballot disputes. Among other things, the bills would provide money to help states buy new voting machines. The version of the bill supported by Republicans would establish identification requirements for first time voters who registered by mail. Such voters would have to present a photo identification such as a Driver’s License or a Social Security card before being permitted to vote. Democrats supported a version of the bill requiring only a signature on a form at the polls. Democrats said proposed requirements by Republicans could discourage participation by blacks and Hispanic Americans. Both versions of the bill would require states to maintain computerized lists of registered voters. Also, voters would have to have a way to verify selections, change their ballots and to correct errors, and voting places must be accessible to people with disabilities. Republicans and Democrats disagree greatly over how to enforce new standards. Republicans would like the responsibility to lie solely with the Justice Department, while Democrats want individuals and civil rights groups to be able to file suits to halt violations. It is a scary thought that our government can’t agree on a simple issue such as voting. This is the kind of rhetoric that creates distrust of the government. If I go to Wal-Mart and purchase an oil change, I am handed a portable computer on which I choose the type of oil I would like, additions to the service, and I us... Free Essays on Nation's Voting Procedures Free Essays on Nation's Voting Procedures The article that I chose for my current events paper came from The New York Times, on September 6, 2002. The title of the article is â€Å"Bill to Overhaul System of Voting Is Seen in Danger†. It was written by Bill Pear. â€Å"Efforts to pass a bill that would clean up the nation’s voting procedures were falling apart as Partisan disagreements grew with the approach of fall elections.† Bipartisan majorities of the House and the Senate voted for different versions of the Legislation, intended to prevent ballot disputes. Among other things, the bills would provide money to help states buy new voting machines. The version of the bill supported by Republicans would establish identification requirements for first time voters who registered by mail. Such voters would have to present a photo identification such as a Driver’s License or a Social Security card before being permitted to vote. Democrats supported a version of the bill requiring only a signature on a form at the polls. Democrats said proposed requirements by Republicans could discourage participation by blacks and Hispanic Americans. Both versions of the bill would require states to maintain computerized lists of registered voters. Also, voters would have to have a way to verify selections, change their ballots and to correct errors, and voting places must be accessible to people with disabilities. Republicans and Democrats disagree greatly over how to enforce new standards. Republicans would like the responsibility to lie solely with the Justice Department, while Democrats want individuals and civil rights groups to be able to file suits to halt violations. It is a scary thought that our government can’t agree on a simple issue such as voting. This is the kind of rhetoric that creates distrust of the government. If I go to Wal-Mart and purchase an oil change, I am handed a portable computer on which I choose the type of oil I would like, additions to the service, and I us...

Magical Realism - Definition and Examples

Magical Realism s Magical realism, or magic realism, is an approach to literature that weaves fantasy and myth into everyday life. What’s real? What’s imaginary? In the world of magical realism, the ordinary becomes extraordinary and the magical becomes commonplace. Also known as â€Å"marvelous realism,† or â€Å"fantastic realism,†Ã‚  magical realism is not a style or a genre so much as a way of questioning the nature of reality. In books, stories, poetry, plays, and film, factual narrative and far-flung fantasies combine to reveal insights about society and human nature. The term magic realism is also associated with realistic and figurative artworks  -   paintings, drawings, and sculpture  -   that suggest hidden meanings. Lifelike images, such as the Frida Kahlo portrait shown above, take on an air of mystery and enchantment. Strangeness Infused Into Stories There’s nothing new about infusing strangeness into stories about otherwise ordinary people. Scholars have identified elements of magical realism in Emily Brontà «s passionate, haunted Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights) and Franz Kafka’s unfortunate Gregor, who turns into a giant insect (The Metamorphosis). However, the expression â€Å"magical realism† grew out of specific artistic and literary movements that emerged during the mid-20th century. Art From a Variety of Traditions In 1925, critic Franz Roh (1890-1965) coined the term Magischer Realismus (Magic Realism) to describe the work of German artists who depicted routine subjects with eerie detachment. By the 1940s and 1950s, critics and scholars were applying the label to art from a variety of traditions. The enormous floral paintings by Georgia OKeeffe (1887-1986), the psychological self-portraits of Frida Kahlo (1907-1954), and the brooding urban scenes by Edward Hopper (1882-1967) all fall within the realm of magic realism. A Separate Movement in Literature In literature, magical realism evolved as a separate movement, apart from the quietly mysterious magic realism of visual artists. Cuban writer Alejo Carpentier (1904-1980) introduced the concept of â€Å"lo real maravilloso (the marvelous real) when he published his 1949 essay â€Å"On the Marvelous Real in Spanish America.† Carpentier believed that Latin America, with its dramatic history and geography, took on an aura of the fantastic in the eyes of the world. In 1955, literary critic Angel Flores (1900-1992) adopted the term magical realism (as opposed to magic realism) to describe the writings of Latin American authors who transformed â€Å"the common and the every day into the awesome and the unreal.   Latin American Magic Realism According to Flores, magical realism began with a 1935 story by Argentine writer Jorge Luà ­s Borges (1899-1986). Other critics have credited different writers for launching the movement. However, Borges certainly helped lay the groundwork for Latin American magical realism, which was seen as unique and distinct from the work of European writers like Kafka. Other Hispanic authors from this tradition include Isabel Allende, Miguel ngel Asturias, Laura Esquivel, Elena Garro, Rà ³mulo Gallegos, Gabriel Garcà ­a Mrquez, and Juan Rulfo. Extraordinary Circumstances Were Expected Surrealism runs through the streets, Gabriel Garcà ­a Mrquez (1927-2014) said in an interview with The Atlantic. Garcà ­a Mrquez shunned the term â€Å"magical realism† because he believed that extraordinary circumstances were an expected part of South American life in his native Columbia. To sample his magical-but-real writing, begin with â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings and â€Å"The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World.† An International Trend Today, magical realism is viewed as an international trend, finding expression in many countries and cultures. Book reviewers, booksellers, literary agents, publicists, and authors themselves have embraced the label as a way to describe works that infuse realistic scenes with fantasy and legend. Elements of magical realism can be found in writings by Kate Atkinson, Italo Calvino, Angela Carter, Neil Gaiman, Gà ¼nter Grass, Mark Helprin, Alice Hoffman, Abe Kobo, Haruki Murakami, Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie, Derek Walcott, and countless other authors around the world. 6 Key Characteristics of Magical Realism It’s easy to confuse magical realism with similar forms of imaginative writing. However, fairy tales are not magical realism. Neither are horror stories, ghost stories, science fiction, dystopian fiction, paranormal fiction, absurdist literature, and sword and sorcery fantasy. To fall within the tradition of magical realism, the writing must have most, if not all, of these six characteristics: 1. Situations and Events That Defy Logic: In Laura Esquivel’s lighthearted novel Like Water for Chocolate, a woman forbidden to marry pours magic into food. In Beloved, American author Toni Morrison spins a darker tale: An escaped slave moves into a house haunted by the ghost of an infant who died long ago. These stories are very different, yet both are set in a world where truly anything can happen. 2. Myths and Legends: Much of the strangeness in magic realism derives from folklore, religious parables, allegories, and superstitions. An abiku  -   a West African spirit child  -   narrates The Famished Road by Ben Okri. Often, legends from divergent places and times are juxtaposed to create startling anachronisms and dense, complex stories. In A Man Was Going Down The Road, Georgian author Otar Chiladze merges an ancient Greek myth with the devastating events and tumultuous history of his Eurasian homeland near the Black Sea. 3. Historic Context and Societal Concerns: Real-world political events and social movements entwine with fantasy to explore issues such as racism, sexism, intolerance, and other human failings. Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie is the saga of a man born at the moment of India’s independence. Rushdie’s character is telepathically linked with a thousand magical children born at the same hour and his life mirrors key events of his country. 4. Distorted Time and Sequence: In magical realism, characters may move backward, leap forward, or zigzag between the past and the future. Notice how Gabriel Garcà ­a Mrquez treats time in his 1967 novel, Cien Aà ±os de Soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude). Sudden shifts in narrative and the omnipresence of ghosts and premonitions leave the reader with the sense that events cycle through an endless loop. 5. Real-World Settings: Magic realism is not about space explorers or wizards; Star Wars and Harry Potter are not examples of the approach. Writing for The Telegraph, Salman Rushdie noted that â€Å"the magic in magic realism has deep roots in the real.† Despite the extraordinary events in their lives, the characters are ordinary people who live in recognizable places. 6. Matter-of-Fact Tone: The most characteristic feature of magical realism is the dispassionate narrative voice. Bizarre events are described in an offhand manner. Characters do not question the surreal situations they find themselves in. For example, in the short book Our Lives Became Unmanageable, a narrator plays down the drama of her husbands vanishing: â€Å"†¦the Gifford who stood before me, palms outstretched, was no more than a ripple in the atmosphere, a mirage in a gray suit and striped silk tie, and when I reached again, the suit evaporated, leaving only the purple sheen of his lungs and the pink, pulsing thing Id mistaken for a rose. It was, of course, only his heart.† Dont Put It in a Box Literature, like visual art, doesn’t always fit into a tidy box. When Nobel Laureate Kazuo Ishiguro published The Buried Giant, book reviewers scrambled to identify the genre. The story appears to be a fantasy because it unfolds in a world of dragons and ogres. However, the narration is dispassionate and the fairy tale elements are understated: â€Å"But such monsters were not cause for astonishment†¦there was so much else to worry about.† Is The Buried Giant pure fantasy, or has Ishiguro entered the realm of magical realism? Perhaps books like this belong in genres all their own. Sources Arana, Marie. Review: Kazuo Ishiguros The Buried Giant defies easy categorization. The Washington Post, February 24, 2015.   Craven, Jackie. Our Lives Became Unmanageable. The Omnidawn Fabulist Fiction Prize, Paperback, Omnidawn, October 4, 2016. Fetters. Ashley. The Origins of Gabriel Garcia Marquezs Magic Realism. The Atlantic, April 17, 2014. Flores, Angel. Magical Realism in Spanish American Fiction. Hispania, Vol. 38, No. 2, American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, JSTOR, May 1955. Ishiguro, Kazuo. The Buried Giant. Vintage International, Paperback, Reprint edition, Vintage, January 5, 2016. Leal, Luis. Magical Realism in Spanish American Literature. Lois Parkinson Zamora (Editor), Wendy B. Faris, Duke University Press, January 1995. McKinlay, Amanda Ellen. Block magic : categorization, creation, and influence of Francesca Lia Block’s Enchanted America. UBC Theses and Dissertations, The University of British Columbia, 2004. Morrison, Rusty. Paraspheres: Extending Beyond the Spheres of Literary and Genre Fiction: Fabulist and New Wave Fabulist Stories. Paperback, Omnidawn Publishing, June 1, 1967. Rà ­os, Alberto. Magical Realism: Definitions. Arizona State University, May 23, 2002, Tempe, AZ. Rushdie, Salman. Salman Rushdie on Gabriel Garcà ­a Mrquez: His world was mine. The Telegraph, April 25, 2014. Wechsler, Jeffrey. Magic Realism: Defining the Indefinite. Art Journal. Vol. 45, No. 4, The Visionary Impulse: An American Tendency, CAA, JSTOR, 1985.