Keeper

Magical realism is a literary style in which fantastical elements are incorporated into realistic literature. It falls under the umbrella of speculative fiction, as it contains components that differ from reality. However, unlike most speculative fiction such as fantasy, science fiction, or dystopian fiction, the majority of the work is still rooted in realism. To define it, it is often explained by how it differs from other forms of speculative fiction.

One key difference between magical realism and more popular forms of speculative fiction is that it must take place in the real world, with largely realistic elements. For example, fantasy is defined by its alternate worlds and fictional creatures, while science fiction relies heavily on futuristic technology or scientific advancements as a focal point for its story and themes. In Keeper, the world that Gato and Faustino live in is realistic except for one component: The Keeper himself. As a magical being, he is able to control the forest he lives in, manipulate the creatures and weather, and spend decades as a ghost, waiting for Gato to win the World Cup and return.

Another key component of magical realism is its roots in folklore. It typically “draws heavily from folkloric traditions around the world—particularly those in Latin American culture. Readers may find traditions, superstitions, and beliefs from older cultures” (“A Reader’s Guide to Magical Realism.” SuperSummary). In Keeper, those roots are found through Gato’s conversation with his grandmother. Nana explains how “The Waiting Dead” are found in the forest, “Waiting for the thing that can make them truly dead, so that their hungry spirits can be peaceful. Until they get it, they have to go on waiting, searching” (13). These words foreshadow what the Keeper is: a ghost who is waiting until he gets the thing he missed out on while he was alive, the World Cup, due to his tragic death before his team could compete. While this idea is introduced seemingly as a ghost story to keep Gato from going into the forest, Gato and the reader realize that it is rooted in truth.

Additionally, it is typical for magical realism to convey some truth about the world through its use of magic. In this way, the magical elements serve as a metaphor for some larger problem or issue that the author believes should be addressed in the world. This is the case in classic works of magical realism like Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, Love in the Time of Cholera, and “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings,” as well as Isabel Allende’s works like The House of the Spirits and Eva Luna.

In this novel, this message is The Importance of Nature and the need for humanity to respect it. Through the Keeper, who is a metaphorical representation of nature itself, Gato learns of the true wonder of the forest. He learns to understand and respect the animals, which he in turn uses in his soccer career to make him a better goalkeeper. In this way, nature is vital to Gato’s growth and development. In turn, Peet then emphasizes the importance of nature to humanity. While a ghost in the forest waiting to train a child to be a goalkeeper is magic, the beauty, power, and importance of nature are a reality. Through the story of Gato and the Keeper, the text urges the reader to cultivate a deeper respect and appreciation for nature and, therefore, to protect it instead of abuse it.