POSTMODERNISM

Are postmodern and experimental different terms/things?  No, not necessarily. Some people prefer the term “experimental” simply because the term “postmodern” is often defined as experimental writing occurring after a certain time (1940s and 1950s). In truth, there are no real time constraints to most literary movements.

From the Routledge Companion to Experimental literature

Traits of experimental/postmodern literature  Self-reflexive  Eclectic approach  Parody  Pastiche  Play in at least one of the following ways: play with genres (like horror), storytelling modes, elements of fiction, other formal traits of fiction writing, and sometimes even the visual formatting of texts. (By “play,” I mean experimentation.)  Lack of belief/commitment. “Commitment” to questioning art and nonsense.

Self-reflexive  By this, we mean a text shows self-awareness of itself as a text, as a piece of art.  Ex: The movie titled Synecdoche, New York is about characters making a movie about characters making a movie about characters making a movie, etc.  In order to understand self-reflexivity, visualize a snake bending back on itself.

Eclectic (also sometimes termed bricolage)  Experimental texts are eclectic in pulling from many different sources.  You may, for example, find a reference to the story of Noah and the Ark right next to a reference to The Matrix.

Parody  Parody is the result of audiences being saturated with a certain form or genre. At this point, audiences become aware of art as art. This where irony comes into play. Parody ultimately transforms the original work or form/genre through irony.  Ex: If you’ve seen Scary Movie I, II, III, IV, or V, you understand what parody is.

Pastiche  Pastiche is referencing a formula/genre without any ironic intentions.  The Marxist academic Fredric Jameson has examined the functions of postmodern pastiche. He describes pastiche as “the random cannibalisation of all the styles of the past, the play of stylistic allusion.” Jameson also says that pastiche is “blank parody.”  Ex: Star Wars. The original Star Wars movies utilized older techniques from shows like Flash Gordon from the 1930s with no ironic intent.

Genre Play  You’ll often see experimental texts blending genres.  Ex: Gun, with Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethem blends science fiction with detective fiction with literary fiction.

Play with storytelling modes  Storytelling modes range from different types of stories, like myth and legend, to different types of writing, like fiction and poetry.  Ex: Storyteller by Leslie Marmon Silko contains myths, legends, family stories, fiction, and poetry.

Play with Elements of Fiction  The core elements of fiction are plot, character, and point of view. Often, experimental fiction takes a radical approach to these.  Ex: A story titled “After I Was Thrown in the River and Before I Drowned” by Dave Eggers utilizes first-person point of view, but the first- person point of view belongs to a dog!

Play with visual formatting  An experimental piece of fiction may play with the visual nature of the book or the text on the page.  Ex: Nox by Anne Carson comes in a box and all of the sheets are connected in accordion style. Also, within the book, she includes a lot of pictures/visuals.  See the 2 next slides for a picture of Carson’s book and for another example….

Nox by Anne Carson

Example of play with visual formatting from Lorrie Moore’s short story titled “Real Estate.”

What’s the difference between modernism and postmodernism/experimentalism?  Modernists believed the world had become chaotic and that the individual had to assert his/her individuality to have power. This struggle--individual against the world--is tragic for modernists.  Modernists believed the old values and ideas, especially those of the Victorian era, were flawed.  Modernists believed the old narrative forms weren’t adequate anymore. THE MODERNISTS BELIEVED IN SOMETHING…..

What’s the difference, cont.  Modernists believe that the new forms they presented were representative of a new world. Postmodernists are just playing.  Modernists believe in the “power” of their modern narratives. Postmodernists are “anti-narrative.”