magic realism is the theme of the story may day eve.
what is the theme of the story may day eve?
magic realism
may day eve









































"may day eve" is a short story written by filipino national artist nick joaquin. written after world war ii, it became one of joaquin's “signature stories” that became a classic in philippine literature in english. together with joaquin's other stories like "the mass of st. sylvester", "doña jeronima" and "candido’s apocalypse", "may day eve" utilized the theme of "magic realism" long before the genre was made a trend in latin american novels. published in 1947, it is a story originally intended for adult readers, but has later become a required and important reading material for filipino students.
may day eve
historically, on may-day eve, fires were lighted and sacrifices offered to obtain a blessing on the newly-sown fields. according to hutton (2001), england did not observe may day eve or may day fires on a wide scale. there are however isolated instances of such fires in nottinghamshire and lincolnshire. however, the exceptions are cumbria, devon and cornwall where may day eve or may day fires were lit. may-day eve night was also called " mischief night".according to roud (2006), people in lancashire, yorkshire and surrounding counties played tricks on may day eve. roud also states that there are isolated examples of an english folk belief that may day eve was connected to fairies. at the turn of the twentieth century, people in herefordshire at kingstone and thruxton left "trays of moss outside their doors for the fairies to dance upon".
english festivals