Blending the Extraordinary with the Ordinary: Exploring the Art of Magical Realism in Short Stories
—by Professor Dr. Arshad Afzal (Pen Name: Faraz Parvez)
Understanding Magical Realism
Magical realism is a captivating genre where the line between the real and the fantastical is deliberately blurred. Unlike pure fantasy, where the entire world is imagined, or science fiction, which often adheres to hypothetical laws of nature, magical realism embeds magical elements within a realistic setting. These fantastical occurrences are presented as mundane and accepted as part of everyday life by the characters.
The origin of magical realism is strongly associated with Latin American literature—think Gabriel García Márquez, Isabel Allende, and Jorge Luis Borges—but its reach has gone far beyond, now embraced across global literature.
Key Features of Magical Realism
- Real-world setting with magical elements
- Matter-of-fact tone toward the supernatural
- Subtle commentary on culture, identity, or politics
- Blending dreams, myths, or folk beliefs with the mundane
Now, let’s experience the form through a complete original magical realism story below.
“The Clock That Skipped Tuesdays”
By Faraz Parvez
Old Noor Bibi had lived in the crooked blue house at the end of Jasmine Lane for as long as anyone could remember. No one knew her age, not even she. Her hands were crumpled like dried mango leaves, her back hunched like a question mark, and her eyes—ah, those eyes—still sparkled with mischief and mysteries.
Her house had one curious object: a grand old wall clock carved from mahogany, its pendulum ticking like a heartbeat. But the strangest thing? It skipped Tuesdays.
Every week, the clock would jump from Monday night to Wednesday morning. When asked, Noor Bibi would smile with a toothless grin and whisper, “Tuesdays don’t belong to time. They belong to remembering.”
At first, the townsfolk laughed it off—until they noticed something peculiar. Noor Bibi’s mango tree bore fruit every month, even in winter. Her goats never aged. And the jasmine in her garden bloomed only on Tuesdays, unseen by any eyes but hers.
Curiosity turned to unease.
Young Rehan, a university student home for summer, decided to solve the mystery. He set up his phone on a tripod in front of the clock and hid in the garden overnight on a Monday. At midnight, he watched, wide-eyed, as the hands of the clock glowed golden and whirled forward. The calendar jumped. Tuesday vanished.
And the world froze.
Crows paused mid-flight. The breeze halted. Even the crickets held their breath.
Then, slowly, the garden shimmered. Figures began to appear—translucent, glowing, and smiling. They were people Rehan had only seen in faded photographs. His great-grandfather with a flute. A young woman in a sari who looked like his aunt, long lost in a car crash. Children who had died of fevers decades ago.
They danced in the moonlight.
And Noor Bibi was at the center of it all, humming an old tune, her feet barely touching the earth. It was a reunion of the forgotten. A Tuesday of remembrance.
Rehan never told anyone what he saw.
Years later, after Noor Bibi passed and the blue house was locked, the clock was sent to a museum in Lahore. But even there, guards reported missing Tuesdays. And jasmine petals would appear on the cold marble floor every Wednesday morning.
What Makes This Magical Realism?
This story is rooted in the everyday—a small town, an old woman, a curious boy—but gently unfolds into the realm of the magical. The supernatural event (Tuesdays disappearing into another dimension) is presented as natural and accepted by the characters. There’s no dramatic awe—just a poetic co-existence of the mystical and the mundane.
Magical realism, at its heart, invites readers to look at their world differently. What if memory had its own day? What if time could be bent for love, for healing, for grief?
Join Us Again!
In this series on types of short stories, we will continue exploring literary gems—one genre at a time. Our goal is to both educate aspiring writers and entertain thoughtful readers with unique insights, examples, and discussions.
Feel free to share your thoughts, suggestions, or your own stories with us!
Stay tuned for the next post where we explore another fascinating form—Vignette.
Connect with the Author
Email: arshadafzal2001@gmail.com
Twitter/X: @DrArshadAfzal1
Presented by: Faraz Parvez
Blog: Short Story Writing & Literary Excellence
