1 / 9

American Modernism

American Modernism. Mrs. Graziano American Literature. World War I. In 1917, the United States entered WWI, a conflict that resulted in widespread casualties. While America was victorious in the war, perspectives on life began to change; America had lost its innocence.

portia
Download Presentation

American Modernism

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. American Modernism Mrs. Graziano American Literature

  2. World War I • In 1917, the United States entered WWI, a conflict that resulted in widespread casualties. • While America was victorious in the war, perspectives on life began to change; America had lost its innocence. • Idealism turned to cynicism.

  3. The Great Depression • The Great Depression contributed to America’s disillusionment. • The future was uncertain for Americans, a concept later revealed through literature.

  4. The Modernist Movement • Movement in painting, literature, and the other arts • Expressed disillusionment with customs and traditions • Called for bold experimentation and a wholesale rejection of traditional themes and styles

  5. The American Dream • Admiration of America as the “New Eden”: a land of beauty, bounty, and unlimited promise • Optimism – justified by overabundance and opportunity Americans came to expect • The importance and ultimate triumph of the individual – the independent, self-reliant person

  6. Marxism and Psychoanalysis • Both movements led to the breakdown of traditional beliefs and values • Psychoanalysis (introduced primarily by Sigmund Freud) led to the literary technique of stream-of-consciousness narration • Stream-of-consciousness: a style of writing that portrays the inner (often chaotic) workings of a character’s mind

  7. The Jazz Age • Prohibition ushered in an age characterized by the bootlegger, the speakeasy, the cocktail, the short-skirted flapper, the new rhythms of jazz, and the dangerous but lucrative lifestyle of the gangster. • F. Scott Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby) coined it “The Jazz Age.” • Women’s rights were another focus of the time period.

  8. The New American Hero • Established primarily by Hemingway, the new American hero: • Was a man of action • A warrior • A tough competitor • Has a code of honor, courage, and endurance • Possesses character flaws, a realistic representation of humanity

  9. Elements of Modernism in American Literature • Emphasis on bold experiments in style and form, reflecting the fragmentation of society • Rejection of traditional themes and subjects • Sense of disillusionment and loss of faith in American dream • Rejection of the ideal of a hero as infallible in favor of a hero who is flawed and disillusioned but shows “grace under pressure” • Interest in the inner workings of the human mind, sometimes expressed through new narrative techniques such as stream of consciousness

More Related