Modernism

Modernism uses a radical change in form and style

Form changes occurred in music, art and especially literature with stream of consciousness narration

Modernism replaces the logical sequence of ideas with a collage sense of story-telling

So modern novels lack linear flow and instead writers use a jumble of images to tell a story

Modern writers use new psychological theories

The idea of going to a therapist to solve your problems was just beginning, so writers used psychological theories to drive their characters

Writers rejected traditional middle-class ideals and values

Writers blamed the world wars on the materialistic ideals of the middle-class, so traditional heroes and topics were abandoned

Historical Influences The War Years –Soldiers = new perspective after seeing the world + war Postwar “ Big Boom ” Roaring 20s – Modern youths rebel –Breakdown of traditional values –“ the lost generation ” (Gertrude Stein)

Historical Influences cntd. Harlem Renaissance –Increased passion and creativity in the black community of NYC –Jazz and blues flourished: Duke Ellington + Bessie Smith –As did literature: Countee Cullen, Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Wright

Historical Influences cntd. 1930s: Great Depression New Deal Programs Pearl Harbor: December 7, 1941

Elements of Modernism The way stories are told is very different Form changes The stories are often told through stream of consciousness No outside narrator, authors try to replicate the way the mind thinks Collage story-telling, not cause and effect no more first this happened, then that happened Stories are now a mish-mash of events without progression Psychological theories drive the characters Authors create characters based on Freud’s theories of the subconscious Middle class values and middle-class heroes are rejected The pursuit of material wealth is considered the cause of WWI and WWII, so they were rejected

Common Themes Common themes in Modernist literature often include: Violence and alienation Decadence and decay Loss and despair Race relations Unavoidable change Search for meaning