POSTMODERNISM:

1
POSTMODERNISM

• LEARNING TARGET I can summarize the main tenets
  of literature from Post-Modernism (Contemporary)

2
REMEMBER What is Modernism?

• Modernism reflects a loss of faith in traditional
  values and beliefs, including the American Dream.
  
• Artistic/literary movement
• Post World-War One
• Pessimistic picture of culture in disarray
• Modern poets goal rid poetry of 19th century
  prettiness sentimentality
• Rejected 19th century optimism
• 6 Qualities instability, futility, chaos, loss
  of faith, collapse of morality, disillusionment

3
Where did modernism develop?

• -Europe
• -Modernists believed that the lives of people
  would improve thanks to science and a world
  based on logic.
• It began as a time of optimism leading up to 1914
  when WWI began

4
The turning point from modernism to postmodernism

• The terrible bloodshed of the First World War
  sowed seeds of doubt as to whether the world was
  becoming a better place.
• The fact that science was turned to creating
  weapons of mass destruction and killing on an
  industrial scale as a trademark of the war
  (WWII), a wave of pessimism swept across Europe.
• 2 compounding factors that became the turning
  point Holocaust and Atomic Bomb

5
The birth of post-modernism

• This idea of a
• -loss in the goodness of people and
• -a suspicion of science and
• -a suspicion of a world of logic and order
• compounded by two main events of the Second
  World War

6

• The Holocaust
• The dropping of Atomic bombs on Japanese cities.

7
So.. what is postmodernism?

• -Postmodern texts embody scepticism towards the
  ideas and ideals of the modern era, especially
  the ideas of progress, objectivity, reason
  certainty, personal identity.

8
Modernism Vs. Post Modernism

• Think beginning in mid WWII (1939-1945) and
  continued on through late 1900s
• Post-modernists believe that the majority of the
  world bases its views on what is presented to
  them through the media this is called
  hyper-reality a reality created through
  media.
• Post-modernists believe that works of art are
  open to many different interpretations.

• Think post WWI (1914-1918) around time of
  Prohibition, Roaring 20s
• Modernists believe that people were capable of
  original thought.
• Modernists believed that a work of art bears a
  universal truth or meaning.

How do these songs embody postmodernism? American
Pie 1971 https//www.youtube.com/watch?vuAsV5-
Hv-7U Born in the USA 1981 https//www.youtu
be.com/watch?vOuJUq58VQXQ

9
How do these songs embody postmodernism?

• American Pie 1971
• Miss American Pie  She is the America of a
  passing era, and he is bidding her farewell.
• The narrator here is nostalgic for a simpler and
  more optimistic kind of musica music that can
  make people smile, and that could help them
  forget their troubles. 
• Born in the USA 1981
• The song was in part a tribute to Springsteen's
  friends who had experienced the Vietnam War
  (1954-1975), some of whom did not come back it
  also protests the hardships Vietnam
  veterans faced upon their return from the war.

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Some definitions.

• Hyperreality - a hypothetical inability of
  consciousness to distinguish reality from
  fantasy, especially in technologically advanced
  postmodern cultures.
• A parody also called send-up , spoof or
  lampoon), in contemporary usage, is a work
  created to mock, comment on, or make fun at an
  original work.
• https//www.youtube.com/watch?vO_DwMLUh1YQ
• 0-50
• https//www.youtube.com/watch?vZe9xAIqZszw
• 0-52
• A pastiche is a literary or other artistic genre
  that is a "hodge-podge" or an imitation.

11
As we read Harrison Bergeron, underline any
qualities that call in to question the
individual, society, the media etc. (qualities of
postmodernism literature)
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How is this short story a critique of the
following terms?

• SOCIETY
• MEDIA
• GOVERNMENT
• HUMAN NATURE

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Harrison Bergeron Reading Questions

• What is the state of U.S. society as described in
  the first paragraph of the story? How has
  equality been achieved?
• Consider the characters of Hazel and George. Why
  isnt Hazel handicapped? How does George seem to
  feel about his handicaps?
• Consider the character of Harrison in terms of
  both his physical qualities and personality
  traits. Why is he considered a threat to society?
• What is the significance of the dance that
  Harrison performs with the ballerina? How does
  the style in which the story is written change in
  this passage?
• How do Hazel and George react to the televised
  murder of their son?
• What do you consider to be Vonneguts message
  (there are multiple) in this story? What leads
  you to this conclusion?

14
Harrison Bergeron

• is representative of postmodernism in that is
  somewhat darkly comedic, has a fragmented
  storyline (with the thought interrupters), is
  full of sarcasm and irony, and is set in a
  distant dystopian technologically advanced
  future. It also represents a loss of faith in
  society and in humanity in general.

15
Thursday, April

• Read The Lottery
• As you read, underline any qualities that call in
  to question the individual, society, the media
  etc.
• Complete a SOAPSTONE
• Come to class having taken notes on how the story
  is a critique on these terms
• SOCIETY
• MEDIA
• GOVERNMENT
• HUMAN NATURE
• Be ready to share your answers with the class.