Basic Differences between Modernism and Postmodernism

Basic differences between modernism and postmodernism Modernism:- The study of knowledge * World War I * Stylistic experimentation * Internal narratives; experiments in rendering consciousness * Fragmentation * As reaction to the 19th century novel and art (representational/figurative) * Critique of industrialization * Sociopolitical critique of the status quo * Psychoanalysis and an increasing interest in the internal world of the mind, both the pathological and the “normal” * Emergent film technologies * Revolution in physics * Movements: Realism, Romanism- trying to depict a picture in everyday life; WWI, industrialization, political divides- capitalism/communism Ex. of realism art: Portrait of a lady, pride and prejudice In the beginning of 19th century, 80% of the world was colonized. In the early 20th century, after WWI, people start to react to a delusion of reality, start questioning

The following typologies are related to modernism (more specifically, to modernist literature): 1) The modernist novel asks questions such as: * How can I interpret the world? * What is there to be known? Who knows it? To what degree of certainty? * What are the limits of knowledge? 2) Some devises used to reflect these questions: * Stream of consciousness * Moving away from third person omniscient narrator * Unreliable narrator 3) Characteristics of modernist fiction: * Multiplication/juxtaposition of perspectives * Focalization of all evidence through one consciousness, although this consciousness can splinter * Internal monologue—stream of consciousness—ex: Joyce’s “Penelope” chapter in Ulysses. * Dislocated chronology. * Dichotomy between illusion and reality * Distortions of memory—past oriented/Distortions of desire—future oriented Postmodernism: *