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Angela Carter Short Stories Analysis

1165 Words5 Pages

Andrew Pham
Professor Natsumi Ikoma
Realism
24 February 2016
An Analysis of Angela Carter’s Use of Magical Realis, Born in 1940 in Sussex, Angela Carter has received critical acclaim for her literary work. Known for both her novels and short stories, her work draws influences from her personal life and themes of magical realism. In Carter’s Fireworks: Nine Profane Pieces she compiles a collection of short stories in which she pinpoints symbolism of cities and streets, weaves allegories around erotic landscapes, and combines themes of magical realism with her own life. Inspired from her time living in japan between 1969 and 1971 as well as her divorce, Fireworks: Nine Profane Pieces contains nine different stories dealing with: social taboos, …show more content…

The story is told from the perspective of the women detailing her life in Japan with her Japanese lover, Taro. She goes into detail about the contrasting cultural beliefs shared between herself and taro, as well as their native countries. The differences between the protagonists and her lover Taro mirror the differences shared between their native lands, and this realization dawns on the protagonists at the start of the story. It becomes apparent to both the protagonist and readers that the relationship between the two is not made to last because of these differences and a lack of real love. The lack of real love is reiterated in multiple ways as the story progresses. However, the protagonist continues to attempt to enforce the idea that she is in love with Taro. As a result, the relationship comes to its end once the protagonist truly comes to terms with her loveless relationship, upon which she realizes the relationship cannot …show more content…

This creates a personal connection. The protagonist of “A Souvenir of Japan” chose to form a relationship with a Japanese man because in doing she is able to maintain her own belief that she is accepted by society. Although she still feels a sense of rejection from society, she views her status as foreigner to no longer be the reason. Alternatively, she views her relationship with the Taro to be the reason. Through this, she is projecting the rejection she feels away from her onto another person. In doing so, she is able to maintain the idea that she has assimilated into Japanese society and the reason for her sense of rejection is through the fault of Taro, not her own. Consequently, her attempt to conceal her difference in values with Japanese society only amplifies them. As a result, the foreign society continues to reject her even

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