Postmodernism & Postmodernism & Postmodernist LiteraturePostmodernist Literature

English 11English 11

What is “Postmodernism”?What is “Postmodernism”?

Postmodernism: Definition Postmodernism: Definition

Coined in 1949 Coined in 1949 To describe a dissatisfaction with To describe a dissatisfaction with

modern architecture, founding the modern architecture, founding the postmodern architecture postmodern architecture

Any of several movements (as in art, Any of several movements (as in art, architecture, or literature) architecture, or literature) reacting reacting against the philosophy and against the philosophy and practices of modern practices of modern movementsmovements

Postmodernist Literature: Postmodernist Literature: OverviewOverview

After World War II After World War II A series of reactions against the A series of reactions against the

perceived failureperceived failure Reaction against modernismReaction against modernism

Postmodernist Literature: Postmodernist Literature: OverviewOverview

Important Works:Important Works:Catch-22 by by Joseph Heller (1961) (1961)Lost in the Funhouse by by

John Barth (1968) (1968)Slaughterhouse Five by by

Kurt Vonnegut (1969) (1969)Gravity's Rainbow by by

Thomas Pynchon (1973) (1973) Catcher in the Rye by by J.D. Salinger

First, what is “modern”? Depends on Discipline.First, what is “modern”? Depends on Discipline.The break away from 19th-century values The break away from 19th-century values

is often classified as modernismis often classified as modernism, and , and carries the connotations of carries the connotations of transgression transgression and rebellionand rebellion. However, the last twenty . However, the last twenty years has seen a change in this attitude years has seen a change in this attitude towards focusing upon a series of towards focusing upon a series of unresolvable philosophical and social unresolvable philosophical and social debates, such as race, gender and class. debates, such as race, gender and class.

Rather than challenging and destroyingRather than challenging and destroying cultural definitions, as does modernism, cultural definitions, as does modernism, post-modernism post-modernism resists the very idea of resists the very idea of boundariesboundaries. It regards distinctions as . It regards distinctions as undesirable and even impossible, so that undesirable and even impossible, so that an almost Utopian world, free from all an almost Utopian world, free from all constraints, becomes possible. constraints, becomes possible.

Modernism Vs Modernism Vs Postmodernism Postmodernism A break from 19th century realismA break from 19th century realism A story was told from an objective or A story was told from an objective or

omniscient point of viewomniscient point of view Character development: Character development:

Both literature explore subjectivism Both literature explore subjectivism Turning from external reality to examine Turning from external reality to examine

inner states of consciousnessinner states of consciousness Drawing on modernist examples in the Drawing on modernist examples in the

stream of consciousnessstream of consciousness styles of styles of Virginia Woolf and James Joyce Virginia Woolf and James Joyce

Modernism Vs Modernism Vs Postmodernism: Poems (Not Postmodernism: Poems (Not limited to poems)limited to poems) The Waste Land by T S EliotThe Waste Land by T S Eliot

Fragmentary Fragmentary Employing pastiche like much Employing pastiche like much

postmodern literaturepostmodern literature Speaker in Speaker in The Waste Land:The Waste Land:

"these fragments I have shored "these fragments I have shored against my ruins" against my ruins"

Modernist literature: fragmentation Modernist literature: fragmentation and extreme subjectivity as an and extreme subjectivity as an existential crisis, or Freudian existential crisis, or Freudian internal conflictinternal conflict

Modernism Vs Modernism Vs PostmodernismPostmodernism

A problem that must be solved, A problem that must be solved, and the artist often cited as the and the artist often cited as the one to solve it one to solve it

Postmodernists: this chaos is Postmodernists: this chaos is insurmountable; the artist is insurmountable; the artist is impotent, and the only recourse impotent, and the only recourse against "ruin" is to play within the against "ruin" is to play within the chaos. chaos.

Playfulness becomes central and Playfulness becomes central and the actual achievement of order the actual achievement of order and meaning becomes unlikelyand meaning becomes unlikely

Modernism Vs Modernism Vs PostmodernismPostmodernism Explore fragmentariness in narrative- Explore fragmentariness in narrative-

and character-constructionand character-construction Characterized by allusive difficulty, Characterized by allusive difficulty,

paradox, and indifference or outright paradox, and indifference or outright hostility to the democratic ethoshostility to the democratic ethos

More and more in jeopardy since the More and more in jeopardy since the rise of fascism and dictatorial rise of fascism and dictatorial communism. communism.

ModernModern::Linear progress in Linear progress in

historyhistoryBoundaries, social Boundaries, social

class, race and class, race and gendergender

Formality, emphasis Formality, emphasis on authoritarian on authoritarian perspectivesperspectives

Scientific rationality, Scientific rationality, unified theory of unified theory of progressprogress

Essentialism, seeking Essentialism, seeking “real” essences“real” essences

PrescriptionPrescriptionNormativeNormative

PostmodernPostmodern::““Historicity”, Historicity”,

historicization, socio-historicization, socio-cultural locatedness cultural locatedness of moments in historyof moments in history

Critical study of class, Critical study of class, race, and gender; race, and gender; uses other uses other perspectivesperspectives

Intertextuality, self-Intertextuality, self-reflexivity, montage, reflexivity, montage, pastichepastiche

Signs, image, Signs, image, reproductive social reproductive social orderorder

Local accountsLocal accountsDescriptionDescription

““Post-modernism has many interpretations Post-modernism has many interpretations and no single definition is adequate. and no single definition is adequate. Different disciplines have participated in Different disciplines have participated in the post-modernist movement in varying the post-modernist movement in varying ways … in architecture, traditional limits ways … in architecture, traditional limits have become indistinguishable, so that have become indistinguishable, so that what is commonly on what is commonly on the outside of a the outside of a building is placed within, building is placed within, and vice and vice versa. versa.

In literatureIn literature, writers adopt a self-conscious , writers adopt a self-conscious intertextuality sometimes verging on intertextuality sometimes verging on pastiche, which pastiche, which denies the formal denies the formal propriety of authorship and genrepropriety of authorship and genre. In . In commercial terms post-modernism may commercial terms post-modernism may be seen as part of the growth of be seen as part of the growth of consumer capitalism into multinational consumer capitalism into multinational and technological identity.” and technological identity.”

……postmodernity (involves) the end of postmodernity (involves) the end of an overarching belief in scientific an overarching belief in scientific rationality and a unitary theory of rationality and a unitary theory of progress, the replacement of progress, the replacement of empiricist theories of empiricist theories of representation and truthrepresentation and truth, and , and increased emphasis on the increased emphasis on the importance of the unconscious, on importance of the unconscious, on free-floating signs and images, and a free-floating signs and images, and a plurality of viewpoints … a shift from a plurality of viewpoints … a shift from a `productive' to a ‘reproductive’ social `productive' to a ‘reproductive’ social order, in which simulations and order, in which simulations and models -- and more generally, signs -- models -- and more generally, signs -- increasingly constitute the world, so increasingly constitute the world, so that any that any distinction between the distinction between the appearance and the ‘real’ is lostappearance and the ‘real’ is lost. .

““Another feature of postmodernism Another feature of postmodernism seen by some theorists is that the seen by some theorists is that the boundaries between `high' and boundaries between `high' and `low' culture tend to be broken `low' culture tend to be broken downdown. According to many theorists, . According to many theorists, postmodernist cultural movements, postmodernist cultural movements, which often overlap with new which often overlap with new political tendencies and social political tendencies and social movements in contemporary society, movements in contemporary society, are particularly associated with the are particularly associated with the increasing importance of new class increasing importance of new class fractions.”fractions.”

Common Themes & Common Themes & TechniquesTechniques Irony, playfulness, black humor, Irony, playfulness, black humor,

hyperreality, temporal distortion, hyperreality, temporal distortion, metacognition/metafiction, paranoiametacognition/metafiction, paranoia

Postmodern fiction: characterized by the Postmodern fiction: characterized by the ironic quote marks, ironic quote marks,

Postmodern novelists labeled black Postmodern novelists labeled black humorists: humorists: John Barth, , Joseph Heller, , William Gaddis, , Kurt Vonnegut, , Bruce Jay Friedman

Common to treat serious subjects in a Common to treat serious subjects in a playful and humorous wayplayful and humorous way

Common Themes & Common Themes & TechniquesTechniques Pastiche Pastiche

To combine, or "paste" together, multiple To combine, or "paste" together, multiple elements. elements.

An homage to or a parody of past stylesAn homage to or a parody of past styles A representation of the chaotic, pluralistic, or A representation of the chaotic, pluralistic, or

information-drenched aspects of postmodern information-drenched aspects of postmodern societysociety

A combination of multiple genres to create a A combination of multiple genres to create a unique narrative or to comment on situations in unique narrative or to comment on situations in postmodernity

William S. Burroughs: science fiction, detective : science fiction, detective fiction, westernsfiction, westerns

Margaret Atwood: science fiction and fairy tales: science fiction and fairy tales

Common Themes & Common Themes & TechniquesTechniques Metafiction (metacognition) Metafiction (metacognition)

Writing about writing Writing about writing or or "foregrounding the apparatus" "foregrounding the apparatus"

Making the artificiality of art or the Making the artificiality of art or the fictionality of fiction apparent to the fictionality of fiction apparent to the reader reader

Generally Generally disregardsdisregards the necessity for the necessity for “willful suspension of disbelief”“willful suspension of disbelief”

To To undermine the authority of the undermine the authority of the author,author, for unexpected narrative shifts for unexpected narrative shifts

To advance a story in a unique way, for To advance a story in a unique way, for emotional distanceemotional distance

To To comment on the act of storytellingcomment on the act of storytelling

Common Themes & Common Themes & TechniquesTechniques

Historiographic metafictionHistoriographic metafiction Fictionalize actual historical Fictionalize actual historical

events or figuresevents or figures The General in His Labyrinth by by

Gabriel Garcia Marquez (about Gabriel Garcia Marquez (about Simón Bolívar))

Ragtime by by E. L. Doctorow (featuring (featuring such historical figures as such historical figures as Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and and Sigmund Freud))

Common Themes & Common Themes & TechniquesTechniques Temporal distortion Temporal distortion

Central features: Fragmentation and Central features: Fragmentation and non-linear narratives non-linear narratives

Temporal distortion for the sake of ironyTemporal distortion for the sake of irony Example: Historiographic metafiction Example: Historiographic metafiction Distortions in time in Distortions in time in Kurt Vonnegut's 's

non-linear novels: Billy Pilgrim in non-linear novels: Billy Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse Five coming "unstuck in Slaughterhouse Five coming "unstuck in time“time“

Common Themes & Common Themes & TechniquesTechniques

Anachronisms: Abraham Lincoln using a Anachronisms: Abraham Lincoln using a telephone In his flight to Canada telephone In his flight to Canada (Ishmael Reed)(Ishmael Reed)

Time may also overlap, repeat, or Time may also overlap, repeat, or bifurcate into multiple possibilities. bifurcate into multiple possibilities.

"The Babysitter" from Pricksongs & "The Babysitter" from Pricksongs & Descants by Robert Coover: multiple Descants by Robert Coover: multiple possible events occurring possible events occurring simultaneously -- in one section the simultaneously -- in one section the babysitter is murdered while in another babysitter is murdered while in another section nothing happens and so on section nothing happens and so on

Common Themes & Common Themes & TechniquesTechniques Technoculture and hyperreality Technoculture and hyperreality

Fredric Jameson: “society has moved Fredric Jameson: “society has moved past the industrial age and into the past the industrial age and into the information age”. information age”.

Jean Baudrillard: postmodernity was Jean Baudrillard: postmodernity was defined by a shift into hyperreality in defined by a shift into hyperreality in which simulations have replaced the which simulations have replaced the real. real.

People are inundated with informationPeople are inundated with information Technology as a central focus in many Technology as a central focus in many

liveslives

Common Themes & Common Themes & TechniquesTechniques Paranoia Paranoia

The belief that there is an ordering system The belief that there is an ordering system behind the chaos of the worldbehind the chaos of the world

Postmodernist: no ordering system exists, Postmodernist: no ordering system exists, so a search for order is fruitless and absurd. so a search for order is fruitless and absurd.

Often coincides with the theme of Often coincides with the theme of technoculture and hyperreality. technoculture and hyperreality.

Breakfast of ChampionsBreakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut: by Kurt Vonnegut: the character Dwayne Hoover becomes the character Dwayne Hoover becomes violent when he is convinced that everyone violent when he is convinced that everyone else in the world is a robot and he is the else in the world is a robot and he is the only human only human

~Time to go~~Time to go~

Thank you!Thank you!