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Post-Modernism/Contemporary Literature

Post-Modernism/Contemporary Literature. 1945-Present. Reaction to History. Major historical events often cause shifts in literary trends American Revolution- Deists to Rationalists Westward expansion- Rationalism to Romanticism Civil War- Romanticism to Realism WWI- Realism to Modernism

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Post-Modernism/Contemporary Literature

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  1. Post-Modernism/Contemporary Literature 1945-Present

  2. Reaction to History • Major historical events often cause shifts in literary trends • American Revolution- Deists to Rationalists • Westward expansion- Rationalism to Romanticism • Civil War- Romanticism to Realism • WWI- Realism to Modernism • WWII leads to a shift away from Modernism towards Postmodernism

  3. From Gatsby to Ginsberg

  4. Post WWII • Economic Boom • Growth of suburbs • New technology • Within businesses and more consumer products • Cold War • Tension with communist countries, especially U.S.S.R. • Civil Rights Movement • Growing acceptance of individuals from diverse backgrounds

  5. 1950s Suburbia

  6. Cold War Propaganda

  7. Civil Rights

  8. Where are we currently? • It is debated whether Postmodernism is ongoing, or if there has been a shift to a new movement • Theory 1: • 1945-1980: Postmodernism • 1980-Present: Contemporary Literature (unnamed movement) • Theory 2: • 1945-Present: Postmodernism

  9. Characteristics of Postmodernism • Allows for multiple meanings and multiple worlds • dreams, the future, flashbacks etc. • Structures work in nontraditional forms • Varied chapter/section breaks • Multiple narrators/switching perspective • Comments upon itself • Encourages self-awareness • Cultural diversity • Blends and overlaps fiction and nonfiction • Rise of literary nonfiction and literary journalism

  10. Characteristics Continued • Cynicism towards society • Especially post Vietnam War • Recent texts critical of American consumer culture • Questioning/Lack of identity • Use of vernacular/sometimes shocking language • Especially prominent in poetry

  11. Popular Authors • Allen Ginsburg • Sylvia Plath • Flannery O’Connor • Toni Morrison • Alice Walker • Cormac McCarthy • Amy Tan • Tim O’Brien • Junot Diaz • Sandra Cisneros • JhumpaLahiri • Jonathan Franzen • Jonathan SafranFoer • George Saunders • Billy Collins • Gwendolyn Brooks

  12. Author Pictures

  13. The Rise of Young Adult Literature • The Catcher in the Rye (1951) and The Outsiders (1967) are early texts that lead to the burgeoning genre of young adult literature • Books targeted towards young adult interests and usually feature young adult protagonists • YAL has become a multi-million dollar industry • Film adaptations for popular novels, even sometimes before they are published

  14. Page to Screen

  15. Page to Screen

  16. Page to Screen

  17. Popular Titles • Series • Harry Potter • The Hunger Games • Divergent • Maze Runner • Mortal Instruments • The Giver • Ender’s Game • Twilight • Uglies • Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants • Inheritance Cycle • Crank • Individual Works • The Fault in Our Stars • Anything by John Green • The Perks of Being a Wallflower • Thirteen Reasons Why • The Book Thief • Speak • Holes • If I Stay • Feed • Eleanor and Park

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