Evolution of Galician Narrative: 1975 to Present
Freedoms in earnings during the transition (1975-1981) allowed a surge of publications in Portugal, the emergence of new publishers (Galaxy), and literary prizes that strive to make classical texts available to new generations, or check out the literature on the *testemuñalista* Civil War, still in full swing, as Cunqueiro narrators (The Other Marketer, 1979) or Fole (Stories that Nobody Believes, 1985). Out of the cycle of new narrative, works are published by Galician actors such as Mª Xosé Queizán (Amantia, 1984). New writers born in the ’40s and early ’50s evolve into a narrative of social and technical concerns, from crudely realistic formulations to more complex ones. The main trends in the narrative of the transition are:
- Rural realism and ethnography: which takes as its model Ánxel Fole (Xosé Flour, Stories from A Cañiza).
- Memorialistic narrative: focusing on the Civil War and post-war period (Ramón de Valenzuela, It Was Time to Stand Up).
- Historical narratives: that recreate certain moments of our past (Víctor Freixanes, The Triangle Inscribed in the Circle).
- Sociological realism: emigration, industrialization, the crisis in rural areas (Xosé Fernández Smith, Die in Castrelo de Miño).
- Social-allegorical narrative: works intended to show, in allegorical form, the situation of the Galician people and introduce fantastic elements into a basic realistic narrative (Xavier Alcalá, Fable).
- Genre narrative: experimental tests of the Western and science fiction (Lois Diéguez, Galouz Z-28) and refreshing and experimental narrative (C. Casares, Toys for a Forbidden Time).
The works of Carlos Casares (1941-2002) could be framed within the horizon of the formal renewal of the Galician new narrative. Blast Injured or Toys for a Forbidden Time present themes and motifs in great modernity. On the second slap, in full maturity as a storyteller, he abandons the assumptions of the NNG and returns to the techniques and more traditional approaches. These are works set in the historical past that use resources coming from traditional realism. The Dark Dreams of Clio represents this new stage.
Mª Xosé Martínez Hollow publishes The Trail, a memory of political activism in the ’70s. Alfredo Conde introduces the transformation of our narrative, as the fruit will have the griffin in the wind. Alcalá con Manoel published two titles in 1980 and also in the *testemuñista* line of Our Gray. Víctor F. Freixanes, in 1982, The Triangle Inscribed in the Circumference. From the promotion of other narrators of the ’70s are Lois Diéguez and Francisco Martín.
From 1985, a new stage of consolidation and thematic diversification began, with the introduction of Galician in education. The number of editorials continues to expand, and literary prizes acquire special relevance. Promotions of the ’50s and ’70s add new authors, and generic experiences proliferate. However, a crisis of sociological narrative occurs. We noted the following trends:
- Genre narrative: Experimentalism in general should refer to the science fiction novel, the erotic narrative, the sentimental novel, or even the Western, the detective novel, and detective stories.
- Historical romance: This trend includes works by Xesús Rabo, *Walls*.
- Fantastic narrative: The Cunqueiro model and the tradition of Arthur and *cabaleiresxa* influence the production of John Shack, José Miranda.
- Urban and experimental narrative: Works characterized by experimentation and exploration of narrative worlds rare in our literature. It is necessary to note the recent *bravú* literature of Jorge Souto.
Other trends include humorous narrative and poetic narrative, characterized by a poetic treatment of language. The main current authors are:
- Darío Xohán Cabana (Galve in Saor) defines characteristics of his narrative world, magical realism between the wonderful Cunqueiro and *cotidianiedade*.
- Suso de Toro is the author of a work of special importance. In Case of Disaster or Polaroid, fragmentary books of unconnected and transgressive prints, lay the foundations for a world characterized by the literary Marxian character.
- Manuel Rivas is today the Galician writer with more projection and editorial media. Success came with the book of short stories, A Million Cows, an ironic and sympathetic vision of interest. Eaters of Potatoes and their first foray into romance, it consolidates the Asian conception of interest as a synthesis between the rural and urban.
Other narrators include:
- Marilar Aleixandre (Transit of Grammarians)
- Xosé Carlos Caneiro, winner on several occasions with The Misery of Loneliness, Ébora, etc.