Saiduean Ta Bot Nai Khaowongkot: (Magical) Realism in the Time of "New Capitalism"

Abstract

This article is a criticism on Saiduean Ta Bot Nai Khaowongkot, a novel written by Veeraporn Nitiprapha. The novel is considered as a realist novel, created in a new context, after the decline of “literature for the people” and the emergence of magical realism. The first section explains why I regard this novel as a realist work by pointing out that although magical realist elements can be found in the novel, they still function and can be explained by adopting a realist logic. The second section discusses social problems that the novel reflects. The third section explains the importance of taking into account the impact of “the new capitalism” in order to understand the story. In the last section, I argue that this novel is part of the ideological apparatus which helps maintain the status quo.