Постмодернізм і магічний реалізм: нові форми відображення реалій життя

The chapter presents the results of theoretical analysis of postmodernism, postmodernity and magical realism sources and features. There are some examples of practical implementing of these literary phenomena principles into the canvass of literary work by such writers as John Fowles and Salman Rushdie. The peculiar features of postmodernism and magical realism are considered as the new forms of contemporary life realities reflection. Existentialism is overviewed as a source of postmodernity and its essence is explained in close relation to postmodern literary works. Mythology is described as a mechanism for historical constructing of truth which presents the basis of postmodernism. Such methods and devices as intertext, irony, additional channels of communication, written speech experiments, free and extract material selection, taking-down traditional narrative associations within the literary work, “author’s mask” are taken into consideration. Magical realism is studied as a new form of postmodernity functioning. The author gives some examples of life reality depiction in magic realism novels by John Fowles and Salman Rushdie.