The Modern Age (1901-1999)

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The Modern Age(1901-1999)
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Modern Age History and Literature is generally
divided into two main categories

• Late Twentieth Century
• (1951-2000)

• Early Twentieth
• Century
• (1901-1950)

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Early Twentieth Century (1901-1950)

• Influences from the late 19th century (the
  Victorian Age) continued to affect 20th century
  thinking
• Charles Darwin His theories of natural
  selection and survival affected views of science,
  religion, social classes, and even doctrines of
  racial superiority
• Karl Marx Advocated the abolition of private
  property and traced economic injustices to the
  capitalist system of ownership.
• Sigmund Freud Believed that motives of human
  behavior are NOT found in the rational, conscious
  mind but in the irrational, sexually driven
  unconscious.

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Early Twentieth Century (1901-1950) Contd.

• The Great War A War to End All Wars
• The heroic idea of war was harshly met with
  realities of new technology in WWI
• 60,000 young British men were killed or wounded
  on the first day of the Battle of Somme
• 300,000 were killed, wounded, or frozen to death
  at the Battle of Ypres
• The devastating losses of the war resulted in a
  cynical attitude toward government, national
  honor, and glory.

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Early Twentieth Century (1901-1950) Cont.d.

• III. Rise and Effects of World War II
• Worldwide economic depression led to the rise of
  dictators (Italy, Germany, Russia)
• Britain perseveres and is successful only after
  the U.S. and Soviet Union enter the war
• Post-World War II Britain is transformed into a
  welfare stategovernment provides medical care
  and other basic benefits for its citizens

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Late Twentieth Century (1951-2000)

• Britain loses status as world power
• British Empire loses several colonies to
  independence
• British industry declines and Britain loses
  economic and political status in the world

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Effects Upon Literature

• Much of the literature (especially following
  WWII) is dark and pessimistic
• More dark comedy and satire are written
• Many works portray a civilization in ruins
  (dystopia) traditional beliefs and morals are
  challenged

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Effects Upon Literature Contd.

• A shift from Romanticism and the ideal to
  Impressionism and Modernism
• Impressionism Focus on experience
• Modernism Focuses on the inner self personal
  perception are more valid than socially-determined
  norms.

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William Golding

• Born September 19, 1911
• Died June 19, 1993
• Oxford University Natural Science, English
  Literature, Poetry.
• Careers British Navy Officer During WWII
  Novelist, poet, playwright
• Writings Often allegorical in nature and
  include Christian symbolism
• Best Known Works Lord of the Flies (his first
  novel) The Inheritors The Scorpion God To the
  Ends of the Earth

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• Lord of the Flies

• Prior to WWII, many people tended to believe that
  mankind was not "inherently evil" but rather
  "inherently good." Evil behavior was the result
  of "ignorance and superstition.
• Although World War I brought doubt to this idea,
  most people believed that the world had "learned
  its lesson" and such an awful war would never
  happen again. Nazi Germany and the Holocaust,
  however, quickly put to death any such hopes.
• The atrocities of man's inhumanity to man during
  WWII caused Golding and other educated people
  like him to question the idea of man's inherent
  goodness.

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• Lord of the Flies

• Lord of the Flies is Golding's attempt to
  understand how civilized, "good" people can carry
  out and accept evil, including the evil of savage
  and ritualistic behaviors.
• Golding used the setting and some characters of a
  favorite childhood story, Coral Island, as the
  base for investigating his views in Lord of the
  Flies. But Golding's characters and events have
  deeper, symbolic meanings and represent specific
  ideas and/or groups of people
• Critic Steve Szilagyi wrote "You get the
  impression that the real action of Lord of the
  Flies is taking place somewhere else. High in the
  heavens, amid the clash of angels. Or in some
  deeper realm, where good and evil churn"