Caribbean Diasporic Marvelous Realism

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the “marvelous realism” found in contemporary Caribbean literature written in English by diasporic authors. It applies postcolonial theory to selected novels by writers including David Chariandy, Nalo Hopkinson, Cyril Dabydeen, and Kei Miller. These works accentuate how authors of Caribbean origin normalize the more fantastic elements of their cultures by utilizing influences and imagery while resident in Western lands. The Caribbean diaspora encompasses an amalgam of geographic, historical, social, and cultural issues, which showcase the impact of transterritorialization and hybridity in contemporary literature. The featured novels illustrate this evolution from “magical” to “marvelous” realism in first- and second-generation Caribbean diasporic writing. These novels contemplate the myths and legends that have emanated from their respective authors’ cultures of origin and highlight the social, political, and cultural ramifications of their westernized depictions of the supernatural.