Postmodernism/ one of four world views  View #1(postmodern-ironist)---sees truth as socially constructed  View #2 (the scientific-rational)---truth is 'found' through methodical, disciplined inquiry  View #3 (the social-traditional)---truth is found in the heritage of American and Western civilization  View #4 (the neo-romantic)---truth is found either through attaining harmony with nature and/or spiritual exploration of the inner self

Postmodern Architecture  Detail of the postmodern Abteiberg Museum in Germany. In its broadest context, postmodernism can

Existentialism  Individuals create the meaning and essence of their lives.  Emerged as a movement in twentieth-century literature and philosophy, though it had forerunners in earlier centuries. (  Emerged as a movement in twentieth-century literature and philosophy, though it had forerunners in earlier centuries. ( Soren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche)  The absence of a transcendent force (such as God) means that the individual is entirely free, and, therefore, ultimately responsible.  It is up to humans to create an ethos of personal responsibility outside any branded belief system.  Personal articulation of being is the only way to rise above humanity's absurd condition of suffering and death.

Characterization of Contemporary American Literature  Difficult due to continuous state of change  As varied as the backgrounds of the authors  Distinct in its focus on the private lives of individuals Explores Explores Personal issuesPersonal issues Pains and joys of lifePains and joys of life Sometimes, the redemptive power of loveSometimes, the redemptive power of love

Characterization of Contemporary American Literature (cont.)  Explosion of new voices American IndiansAmerican Indians HindusHindus CatholicsCatholics JewsJews African AmericansAfrican Americans LatinosLatinos MuslimsMuslims CatholicsCatholics Alternate life stylesAlternate life styles No religious affiliation at allNo religious affiliation at all BuddhistsBuddhists These voices are insistent, talented, and honest---they will be heard These voices are insistent, talented, and honest---they will be heard Explosion of new voicesExplosion of new voicesAmerican IndiansAmerican IndiansHindusCatholicsHindusCatholicsJewsJewsAfrican AmericansAfrican AmericansLatinosLatinosMuslimsMuslimsCatholicsCatholicsBuddhistsBuddhistsAlternate life stylesAlternate life stylesNo religious affiliation at allNo religious affiliation at allThese voices are insistent, talented, and honest---they will be heardThese voices are insistent, talented, and honest---they will be heardExplosion of new voicesExplosion of new voicesAmerican IndiansAmerican IndiansHindusCatholicsHindusCatholicsJewsJewsAfrican AmericansAfrican AmericansLatinosLatinosMuslimsMuslimsCatholicsCatholicsBuddhistsBuddhistsAlternate life stylesAlternate life stylesNo religious affiliation at allNo religious affiliation at allThese voices are insistent, talented, and honest---they will be heardThese voices are insistent, talented, and honest---they will be heard

Fulfilling the Prophecy  Emerson had stated that: We would someday have a diverse and truly national literature.We would someday have a diverse and truly national literature. “The sign of that literature will be that the complete revelation of the most private self will be universally recognized and accepted by all people everywhere”.“The sign of that literature will be that the complete revelation of the most private self will be universally recognized and accepted by all people everywhere”.

Common Doctrines (Not necessarily the same as the literary movements)  Rationalism—Man’s reason is sole criteria for truth  Agnosticism—Human mind can not know whether God and Human soul exist, so no need to think about it  Modernism—Attempt to redefine Bible and Christian truth in light of Darwinism and other pseudo-scientific beliefs

Common Doctrines (Not necessarily the same as the literary movements) (cont.)  Secularism—Morality should be based on regard to the well-being of Mankind in present life with no regard of a God or life in a future state.  Materialism---Material things more important than spiritual; everything including thought, will, and feeling can be explained in terms of matter  Socialism—Direct government intervention to remove economic or social inequality

Common Doctrines (Not necessarily the same as the literary movements) (cont.2)  Determinism—Individual’s actions are determined by a sequence of causes independent of his own will.  Freudianism---Man is controlled by subconscious urges and therefore is not responsible for his own actions  Behaviorism---Observed behavior provides only data for understanding man

Common Doctrines (Not necessarily the same as the literary movements) (cont.3)  Relativism---There are no moral absolutes (No God-given standards of right and wrong).  Scientism---Society can reach perfection through application of scientific method to all areas of thought and life.  Secular humanism---Collective term for scientism  Pantheism---Does away with all distinctions; everything is an object of worship.

Common Doctrines (Not necessarily the same as the literary movements) (cont.4)  Existentialism---pessimistic belief emphasizing existence (physical creation) over essence (internal composition)

New Techniques  Imagism—use of precise concrete images, free verse, and suggestion rather than complete statement  Surrealism---Attempt to portray the workings of the unconscious mind as manifested in dreams  Stream of consciousness---a manner of writing in which a character's thoughts or perceptions are presented as occurring in random form, without regard for logical sequences, syntactic structure, distinctions between various levels of reality, or the like

What movement will come next?