Testing The Limits of Fiction

In each society, there are traditional boundaries for creating fiction. Most boundaries for fiction exist beyond society within the limits of the writer's imagination. Two very insightful writers have no limits to fiction in mind when creating their work. These two writers are Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Borges and Marquez are South American authors that concentrate their writing in a meticulously realistic style of imaginary and fantastic scenes also known as magical realism. The stories that they compose extend the limits of fiction that most people are familiar with.

        Jorge Luis Borges has written many essays and poems, but he is most noted for writing short stories. One short story written by Borges is "The Gospel According to Mark." In "The Gospel According to Mark," Borges displays ideas of how religious misinterpretation can lead to confusion and outrageousness. Borges creates Espinosa in likeness to Jesus in the Bible story of Mark. In the story, Espinosa reads the book of Mark from the Bible to the Gutres in an attempt to educate them. The far-fetched event that takes place in the story is when the Gutres misinterpret and take the Bible story literally, and they kill Espinosa. Espinosa, who is not extremely religious, becomes similar to a martyr because the Gutres think that sacrificing him can save their own lives.

        Because Borges employs the technique of magical realism so well, he is greatly respected. His usage of magical realism in short stories provides the readers with experiences unlike any encounters in ordinary life. His literature exposes the possibilities that a creative imagination can offer. "The Gospel According to Mark" presents readers with insight to another view on religion and how beliefs can affect people.

        Another South American writer, Gabriel Garcia Marquez uses the same style of magical realism...