A very, very brief glimpse into Modernism

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A very, very brief glimpse into Modernism
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American society in general

• Prior to WWI, mood of American society is
  confident and optimistic
• This mood shattered by horrifying realities of
  WWI
• At end of war many people left with feeling of
  distrust toward ideas and values of past that had
  led to the war
• People saw need for change, but were unsure about
  the sort of change needed
• Growing sense of uncertainty, disjointedness, and
  disillusionment among certain members of American
  Society

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Literature and Art

• Quest for new ideas about how to see the world
  extended to art
• Modernists sought to capture the essence of
  modern life in both the form and content of their
  work
• To reflect the disjointedness of modern life,
  they constructed their works out of fragments,
  omitting the expositions, resolutions,
  interpretations, transitions, and summaries often
  used in traditional works
• Also frequently expressed their views about
  modern life in the themes of their works, often
  focusing on such themes as the uncertainty,
  bewilderment, and apparent meaninglessness of
  modern life
• Believed that modern life lacked certainty, so
  they generally suggested rather than asserted
  meaning in their works
• Theme of a typical modernist work is implied, not
  stated, forcing readers to draw their own
  conclusions
• Often use symbols and allusions to suggest themes
• Generally use a limited point of view in their
  works, because they believed that reality is
  shaped by peoples perceptions
• Experimented with new techniques, including
  shifting points of view and stream-of-
  consciousness
• Stream-of-consciousness attempts to re-create the
  natural flow of a characters thoughts
• Presents a series of thoughts, memories and
  insights connected only by a characters natural
  associations