"The Colomber" written by Dino Buzzati takes place in the real world, and its characters are ordinary people, but the story also contains elements of fantasy. This type of writing is called magic realism. Take a moment to go back through the story and identify both realistic and fantastic elements. Explain why your example fits in either the realistic or fantastic element. Be sure to reference the page number where you found your evidence. Your response should be in sentence form and use the standard English grammar conventions.
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DeAnna
8/31/2013 04:26:00 am
The Colomber has both realistic and fantastic elements. An example of a realistic element would be Stefano himself, and his family and his life. also as well as the belief of the colomber as a "old sailors tale". A fantastic element would be the colomber in itself and the existence of the colomber. Also of course, the talking shark at the end of the story. The ending in general is a fantastic element because sharks don't talk and there is no magical land and a magic pearl to bring you eternal happiness and wisdom.
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Ally Berndt
8/31/2013 05:18:45 am
Realistic elements in the story "The Colomber" included Stefano Roi, a twelve year old boy who wanted to go sailing with his father as a birthday gift (page 12) This fits in the realistic category because there is nothing unrealistic about this scenario. It can happen in real life. Another realistic element in this novel is the boy's curiosity on the boat (page 12) This is realistic because most children are curious about a lot of things. Some fantastic elements in this story were Stefano's secret obsession with the Colomber. He thought the Colomber was out there waiting for him (page 10) when in reality the Colomber probably had no idea who he is, it may not even exist according to some people. The last example of a fantastic element in this story was at the end when the Colomber said "Goodbye, poor man" (page 11) this is fantastic and unrealistic because sea creatures cannot talk.
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Maura Silva
8/31/2013 05:48:52 am
In the story "The Colomber" there are both realistic and fantastic elements. On page 6 and 7 the father tells his son what the colomber is. This is a fantastic element because the colomber is a made up animal. Also on page 7 there is a realistic element which is when the father decides to send his son away to keep him safe from the colomber. This is realistic because it can actually happen the father can send his son away to make sure nothing will happen to him. On page 8 of the story is says that Stephon now has a secret obsession with the creature. This is a realistic element because it shows that the creature will not leave Stephon's mind which happens to most people when they have an obsession. On page 10 of this story Stephon starts to grow old. This is an example of an realistic element because it is an internal conflict in Stephon which could happen in the real world. On page 11 of the book the colomber starts talking with is an obvious element of fantastic because animals can not talk.
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Ben Lord
8/31/2013 08:12:55 am
"When he felt that he was master of his trade, he used his modest inheritance to acquire a small steam freighter with a partner; then he became the sole proprietor of it, and thanks to a series of successful shipments, he could subsequently buy a true merchantman, setting out with always more-ambitious aims." (Pg. 4) This is a realistic element in the story because Stefano, the main character, got rich off the sea by being a trader, and inheriting his father's fortune. " 'Uh,' the colomber groaned, imploringly, 'what a long journey it’s taken to find you. I too am wasted with fatigue. How much you made me swim. And you kept on fleeing. You never understood at all.' " (Pg. 6) This is a fantastic element mainly because fish cannot talk.
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Megan Palmer
8/31/2013 09:12:43 am
In the Colomber, I found parts of the story that were realistic and parts that were fantastic. In the story, the main character Stefano, is a naturally great sailor. When his father dies, he inherits a fortune, and continues the family business of sailing (8). This is a realistic element of the story because someone can actually be a good sailor, and take over a family business in real life. The fantastic elements were that a Colomber shark was following Stefano throughout his whole life, and he even talked to him. This is fantastic because a shark would not be able to track you down every time you were near water, and follow you. Also, animals can't talk to you, the Colomber shark tells Stefano about the Perla del Mare. (11) These were the fantastic and realistic elements I found in the story.
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Brianna Suvire
9/1/2013 04:46:22 am
"The Colomber" written by Dino Buzzati and takes place in the real world with ordinary people, the story also contains elements of fantasy. This type of writing is called magic realism. An example of a realistic element in the story is Stefano and his relationship with his father. Stefano is an ordinary boy who has a typical father-son relationship. He loves his father and wants to be like him, like most little boys with their fathers. An example of an element of fantasy is obviously the Colomber itself. The fantasy element comes into play not only with the fact that the Colomber is a giant shark that chases the same victim for years, but also with the fact that he talks. Giving the Colomber the ability to interact with Stefano was indeed an element of fantasy. These are just two examples of magic realism in the story.
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Hannah Evans
9/1/2013 06:07:14 am
Many parts of this story were realistic. For example, on page 5, the boy wanting to go to sea with his father is realistic. Also, another realistic part of this story was when the boy went to study. This was on page 7. Many people in the real world go and study numerous things.
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Michael Brandle
9/1/2013 06:35:51 am
Mikey Brandle
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9/1/2013 07:02:20 am
There are four main examples of realistic and fantasy elements in The Colomber by Dino Buzzati. An example of a realistic element is on page 5 in the beginning when Stefano Roi wanted to go on his fathers ship for his birthday. This is realistic because it could actually happen, a son may really want to go on his father ship for his birthday. another example of a realistic element is on page 7 when Stefano's dad wants him to be remained on the shore forever. This is realistic because the father can be worried for his son safety and want to make sure nothing bad happens to him. Going to some fantasy elements in the book, an example of a fantasy elements is one page 11 when Stefano tells his second officer that the Colomber has been following him for nearly 50 years. This is a fantasy element because no fish can follow someone for nearly 50 years to pursue them and then try to kill them afterwards. The last example of a fantasy element is also on page 11 when Stefano encounters the Colomber, and the Colomber was talking to him. This is an example of a fantasy elements because obviously fish can't talk. Those were four main and strong examples of fantasy and realistic elements.
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9/1/2013 07:03:11 am
The short story the Colomber has both realistic and fantastic elements throughout the story. Stefano Roi believed that the Colomber was a creature that was out to get him because his father told him an old story about it. Stefano believed the story to the extent he let his unrealistic fears get the best of him and he shaped his life around them. The realistic element in this story was that Stefano followed his father’s example to continue sailing boats even though he was afraid. Stefano lived a normal life as a normal person would live. In the end, Stefano realizes you cannot let your fears get the best of you.
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Meagan Ryer
9/1/2013 08:56:22 am
In the short story The Colomber, there are many touches of fantasy throughout the story. The first obvious part of fantasy was when the boy was able to see the shark and the father wasn’t. On page 5 the boy says “‘There’s a dark thing that rises in the wake every so often.’” and his father says he does not see anything, even though he has great eye sight. There are no sharks only visible to certain people. The captain of the ship also tells the boy that “...it chooses its victim, and when it has chosen, it pursues him for years and years, for his entire life, until it has succeeded in devouring him.” on page 5. Which is also unrealistic because sharks do not follow a certain person around of the rest of their life. The last element of fantasy is when the boy talks to the shark on page 11. The shark says “‘what a long journey it’s taken to find you. I too am wasted with fatigue. How much you made me swim. And you kept on fleeing. You never understood at all’”. Sharks can not communicate to humans which is why it is a fantasy element.
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Dante Fazio
9/1/2013 12:17:49 pm
On page 7 their is an example of a realistic element. in the story it says "His father sent him to study at an inland city, hundreds of kilometers away. And for some time, distracted by his new surroundings, Stefano no longer thought about the sea monster." This is a realistic element because when you get your mind off things then you often forget about something else that happened in your life. Stefano was sent away and he then forgot about the sea monster because it was not around to bother him anymore.
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Chris Miceli
9/1/2013 02:25:42 pm
The short story "The Colomber" showed many different examples of both realistic and fantastic elements. Here are some of them.
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Colleen Chemidlin
9/2/2013 03:44:22 am
Going back through the story I pulled 3 examples from both realistic and fantastic elements. Realistic elements would be Stefano being scared to go to sea, him going to sea, and the feeling of death. Fantastic elements would be the Perla del Mare, the description of the Colomber and the Colomber talking.
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Elyse Sanford
9/2/2013 05:14:12 am
In the short story, "The Colomber," it contains both realistic and fantastic elements. One realistic element in this story is when Stefano Roi wants to go on on his fathers ship for his birthday. This is a realistic element because it is possible for a twelve-year-old boy to want to go on his father's ship for his birthday in real life. Another realistic element is when it talks about Stefano's life. "Stefano, who was a serious and eager boy, profitably continued his studies, and as soon as he was a man, he found a dignified and well-paying position at an emporium in that inland city." (page 8) This is a realistic element because all of this could actually happen. Lastly, a realistic detail in this short story is when Stefano wants to continue going out to the sea. "To sail and sail was his only thought. Just as soon as he set foot on land in some port after a long journey, the impatience to depart again immediately pricked him." (page 10) This is a realistic element because in real life, someone can continue to want to go out to sea.
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Jared Dancsecs
9/2/2013 08:19:21 am
An example of a fantastic element form this novel would be on page 7 where it says "it chooses its victim, and when it has chosen, it pursues him for years and years, for his entire life, until it has succeeded in devouring him. And the strange thing is this: no one can see the colomber except the victim himself and his blood relations." This is fantasy because a shark wouldn't pursue someone for its entire life. The shark would eventually get bored and move on. Another piece of fantasy from this novel would be when the shark starts to talk to Stefano and then gives him a pearl. Last time I checked sharks don't talk.
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Katie Gibbs
9/2/2013 08:53:37 am
Magic realism is a story that contains fantastic and realistic elements. “The Colomber”, written by Dino Buzzati, is an example of magic realism. One example of a fantastic element in the story is on pages 6 and 7, “That is a colomber. It’s the fish that sailors fear above all others, in every sea of the world. It is a tremendous, mysterious shark, more clever than man. For reasons that perhaps no one will ever know, it chooses its victim, and when it has chosen, it pursues him for years and years, for his entire life, until it has succeeded in devouring him.” This example fits in the fantastic element because no fish exists that only hunts one person for years and years until it successfully kills that person. However, a realistic element is a myth of a sea monster that is passed down and called many things. An example of this is on page 12, “Depending on the sea, and the people who live by its shores, the fish is also called the kolombrey, kahloubrha, kalonga, kalu-balu, chalung-gra.” Still, a fantastic element is that the sea monster can talk, like on page 11, “ ‘Good-bye, poor man,’ answered the colomber. And it sank into the black waters forever.” One of the examples of a realistic element throughout the story is on page 8, “So, the idea of that hostile creature waiting for him day and night became a secret obsession for Stefano. And even in the distant city it cropped up to wake him with worry in the middle of the night.” This is an example of how something a person worries about for years can become an obsession and take over that person’s life, for example the fear of being in a car crash. Someone who worries about being in a car crash could avoid driving or being in a car for their entire life, which could affect their job and life itself, thus becoming a fear that controls them.
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9/2/2013 09:16:35 am
There are many realistic elements in Dino Buzzati’s, “The Colomber”. It takes place in the real world with normal people. On page seven Stefano’s father says, “‘Stefano, there’s no doubt, the colomber has ominously chosen you, and as long as you go to sea, it will give you no peace. Listen to me: we are going back to land now, immediately; you will go ashore and never leave it again, not for any reason whatsoever. You must promise me you won’t.’” It is realistic for a father to protect his son when he is in danger. Also, Stefano becomes obsessed with the fact that the sea creature wants to devour him. On page eight the author states, “So, the idea of that hostile creature waiting for him day and night became a secret obsession for Stefano. And even in the distant city it cropped up to wake him with worry in the middle of the night. He was safe, of course; hundreds of kilometers separated him from the colomber. And yet he knew that beyond the mountains, beyond the forests and the plains, the shark was waiting for him.” It is realistic that a person would get paranoid and obsessed if they know they are in trouble. Another realistic element of the story is that Stefano inherits his father’s fortune. His father was a sea captain and owned a ship, so he had lots of money. When Stefano’s father died, his father left the money to him. This happens to a lot of people in life. This short story is full of realistic elements.
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Michael Datz
9/2/2013 09:25:02 am
The story "The Colomber" is a great example of fantasy and realism because of all the unreal elements mixed with reality. The story is a fantasy because the colomber itself states "What a long journey it has taken to find you. I too am wasted with fatigue. How much you made me swim. And you kept on fleeing. You never understood at all." This is on page 11. The fact that this creature chased Stefano for nearly his entire life, and can speak is a characteristic of fantasy. Also, on the same page, when Stefano is given the Perla del Mare, bringing fortune to his life, this is also fantasy. A stone cannot actually give powers.
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Christine Kurt
9/2/2013 11:25:19 am
In The Colomber there are both realistic and fantastic elements throughout the story. An example of a fantastic element in the story was, “ ‘Uh,’ the colomber groaned, imploringly, ‘what a long journey it’s taken to find you. I too am wasted with fatigue. How much you made me swim. And you kept on fleeing. You never understood at all.’ ‘What?’ asked Stefano, with the point of his harpoon over the colomber’s heart. ‘I have not pursued you around the world to devour you, as you thought. I was charged by the King of the Sea only to deliver this to you.’ And the shark stuck out its tongue, offering the old captain a small phosphorescent sphere”(page 11).
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9/2/2013 12:00:43 pm
Throughout the story of “The Colomber”, there are multiple examples of realistic and fantastic elements. For example, on page 7 the narrator states “His father sent him to study at an inland city, hundreds of kilometers away.” This would be a realistic and logical response that a caring father would make if their child was threatened or endangered. Another example of realistic elements would be on page 8 when the narrator says “Work, friends, diversions, first love affairs—Stefano’s life was now well under way…” These events within the story are common examples of things that most people in life have to deal with, which is why they’re another example of a realistic element. Although, an example of a fantasy element would be on page 11 when the Colomber says “’I have not pursued you around the world to devour you, as you thought. I was charged by the King of the Sea only to deliver this to you.’” This is an example of fantasy due to the fact that the Colomber can talk as well as stating that it was sent by the King of the Sea. Furthermore, another fantastic element would be on page 12 when the narrator mentions “Naturalists strangely ignore it. Some even maintain that it does not exist.” This relates to fantasy because in fairy tales, there are usually legends where things are said to exist but nobody believes in them or has ever seen them.
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Madison Donchez
9/2/2013 12:54:23 pm
In the story many fantastic and realistic facts are seen. A realistic fact is Stefano being on the boat with his dad and trying to learn from him and the crew mates. Most boys long for time with their dad on a ship. Also, when it came to the shark. Stefano had tried his best to do what his father had told him and stay away as much as possible because in his father’s eyes if he was separated from the fish, he was safe. Yet after his father had passed away, irregardless of what he had said at this point, he had his career water based. He was on the water the whole time no matter what was predicted to happen by his father.
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Alexis Szaro
9/2/2013 12:56:23 pm
"The Columber" is a story that deeply mixes reality with elements of fantasy. Throughout the main character's entire life, Stefano was followed by his columber, which was the key element of fantasy in the story. The columber is a mysterious shark that all sailors fear. As it states on page 7, "it chooses its victim, and when it has chosen, it pursues him for years and years, for his entire life, until it has succeeded in devouring him. And the strange thing is this: no one can see the columber except the victim himself and his blood relations" (7). Obviously, the columber is an element of fantasy to the readers, since anything even close to a columber, is not real. This is because there has been no thoughts or proof, that something like the columber exists in the world. But the author ties it into the story very well, since it haunts Stefano for his whole life. Another reason the columber is a fantastic element is because it talks to Stefano at the end of the story. On page 11, right before Stefano attempts to kill the columber, it says, "what a long journey it's taken to find you. I too am wasted with fatigue. How much you made me swim. And you kept on fleeing. You never understood at all" (11). This is another element of fantasy because readers know, that animals can not talk. Stefano's columber was a huge part of his life, and greatly effected how he lived. To the readers of the story, the columber was a key element of fantasy that was used by the author.
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Karena Vogrin
9/2/2013 01:44:14 pm
One example of a fantastic element would be when Stefano finally confronts the colomber and it speaks to him on page 11. Realistically sea creatures can not speak with human beings. One realistic element in the story is when Stefano resumes the family sailing business on page 8. Realistic because naturally some children do take place of their parent's jobs once they pass.
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Julianna Springer
9/2/2013 01:50:05 pm
In the passage 'The Colomber' there are realistic and fantastic elements that are used to tell the story. An example of both would be (pg. 7) "Stefano, there's no doubt, the colomber has ominously chosen you, and as long as you go to sea, it will give you no peace". Stefano's father was right when he said the colomber would give him no peace that is in the sense of peace of mind, because he would always worry about it. That shows the element of realism, as when he says 'the colomber has ominously chosen you' shows the element of magic realism. These examples fit because personification is given to the shark to make it seem as if the shark was a human being adding fantasy to the realistic story. Also, when Stefano grows older he always worries in the back of his mind about the colomber as an unsolved conflict, as has happened in real life.
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