Final answer:
Literary works containing highly unrealistic elements fall into genres like magical realism, science fiction, and gothic tales, which blend fantastical components with a realistic setting.
Step-by-step explanation:
Types of Literary Works with Unrealistic Elements
A literary work that contains highly unrealistic elements is often categorized under genres like magical realism, science fiction, and gothic tales. These genres present a reality that is infused with magical elements or technologies and scenarios that are not currently possible. Magical realism, for example, portrays fantastical events in a realistic setting, made popular by authors like Gabriel García Márquez. Science fiction literature can describe advanced technologies and extraordinary events typically set in the future, such as alien encounters or time travel. Gothic literature includes supernatural elements and often features a dark, mysterious setting with figures like ghosts and vampires.
Each genre serves to expand the boundaries of the imagination, with magical realism specifically providing a seamless blend of the real and the unreal. In a story exhibiting magical realism, the narrative often reflects real life but adds magical components that are accepted as a natural part of the world by the characters within the story. For example, the story 'A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings' introduces an angel as a commonplace occurrence in the lives of the characters.