Contemporary Literature 1950 – Present

How Did it Come About? The aftermath of WW II ushered in an age of rapid developments in science and technology. The postwar years offered many Americans increased opportunities for economic and cultural growth, but the individual person seems lost in the fast-paced, computerized world.

Contemporary fiction Contemporary fiction allows for multiple meanings and multiple worlds, uses nontraditional forms, and comments upon itself. However, it embraces traditional storytellers as well as postmodern risk-takers. It features cultural diversity, criss-crosses the boundaries between fiction and nonfiction, and uses subjects, images, and themes from the past fearlessly.

Contemporary Nonfiction Contemporary nonfiction has become a field equal to fiction, though questions about terminology and accuracy still give rise to controversy. New Journalism (or Literary Journalism) has added personal and fictional elements to nonfiction, enhancing its popularity with today’s readers.

Contemporary Poetry By the early 1950s, many writers and readers felt that modernist poetry – impersonal, allusive, difficult – was no longer appropriate. The times called for a more personal and accessible approach that challenged complacency and convention. Landmarks in the revolt against modernist poetry included poems by Alan Ginsberg, Sylvia Plath, and Ann Sexton.

Contemporary Literature (1945-present) Historical Context: The British Empire declines. The legacy of the WWII, especially the Holocaust, the American A-bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki inform much of the literature of the earlier period; literature reflects a sense of psychic exhaustion resulting from the trauma and deprivation of the war years. Increased immigration is brought about by the need for a larger workforce; racism becomes an issue. Cold War develops between the Allies and the USSR. Changes take place in class structure, social hierarchy, gender identity, the role of women, moral values, attitudes towards family. World grows smaller due to advances in technology; media culture interprets values and events for individuals; world enters a new millenium

Contemporary Literature (1945-present) The key social, political, and cultural changes in Britain, and in the world, since the WWII has had a profound impact on literature. Established notions of the literary have been challenged from a previously marginalized perspectives (e.g., feminist, post-colonial). The thematic and linguistic range of literature has widened; a more liberal cultural climate allowed greater freedom in the representation of sexuality and sexual orientation. By 1970’s, the departure from traditional narrative modes gained momentum, shifting away from traditional realism to magic realism, leading to post-modernism.

Contemporary Literature (1945-present) Fragmentary, non-linear narrative structures, increasingly adopted throughout the 70’s and 80’s mirrored the period’s gradual breakdown of political and cultural consensus. Mass genocide and the still-present nuclear threat led writers to reassess the validity of what postmodern theorists called “grand narratives”, stories or myths that offer a single, coherent view of the world.