Modern Literature

1
Modern Literature

• 1900-1950

2
Historical Context 1900-1950

• World War I (1914-1918)
• Great Depression (1929-1930s)
• World War II (1939-1945)
• Advances in technology
• Industrialization (factories)
• Urbanization (cities)

3
The New American Hero

• Introduced by Hemingway.
• A man of action, a warrior, and a tough
  competitor
• He has a code of honor, courage, and endurance
• He shows grace under pressure
• He is disillusioned a major theme in literature
  - the belief that nothing lay at the center of
  creation.

4
Modern American Poetry

• Spoke in plain American speech.
• Voices reflected the regional diversity of U.S.
• Robert Frost ordinary New England speech and old
  traditions of poetry.
• Symbolism was central in modern poetry

5
The Harlem Renaissance

• An explosion of African-American culture.
• Harlem, New York City.
• Addressed issues of race, class, religion, and
  gender.
• Black dialect recognized as a legitimate way of
  speaking.
• Langston Hughes
• Zora Neale Hurston
• Countee Cullen

6
Summary of Modern Literature

• Emphasis on bold experimentation in style and
  form, reflecting the fragmentation of society.
• Rejection of traditional themes and subjects.
• Sense of disillusionment and loss of faith in the
  American dream.
• Rejection of the ideal of a hero in favor of a
  flawed hero who shows grace under pressure.
• Interest in the inner workings of the human mind.

7
Contemporary (post-modern) Literature

• 1950-present

8
Historical context

• Vietnam War, Cold War, WWII
• Space Race
• JFK, MLK Jr. and Robert Kennedy assinated
• Watergate scandal
• Internet

9
Postmodern Literature

• Non-fiction seen as art
• Cultural diversity
• Allows for multiple meanings
• Narrators/characters may tell different versions
  of a story