Literary Movements: Modernism and Postmodernism in America
Emily Dickinson
In “I Had Been Hungry All These Years,” Dickinson expresses a desire to meet the world, but upon experiencing it, she found it disagreeable and retreated into isolation, feeling ill and out of place. “I Started Early—Took my Dog” describes a visit to the sea in the company of her dog.
Influences: The Bible.
Themes: Isolation, depression, love, life, faith, time.
American Modernism (1915-1945)
American Modernism presented a negative and realistic view of the world, often questioning the American Dream. It was a reaction of artists and writers to the new era of industrialization.
After the Great War (WWI)
The devastation of WWI brought an end to the sense of optimism that characterized the pre-war era.
- Pre-Modern World: Order, meaningful, optimistic.
- Modern World: Futile, fluctuating, loss of faith.
Influences
- WWI: New weapons and technology, political corruption.
- Jazz Age: Rebellion against the system, alcohol ban.
- Women’s Rights and Working.
- The Great Depression: Unemployment, bank failures.
- The New Deal: Recovery of agriculture, reforms.
Themes
American Dream (opportunity, as seen in The Great Gatsby), violence, collectivism vs. individualism, race and gender relations, decadence.
Characters
Often heroic yet flawed and disillusioned. Writers explored problems of society and city life, expressing faith in the American Dream while rejecting traditional themes and the ideal hero.
Robert Frost
In “The Road Not Taken,” Frost discusses two roads, two options, and choosing the more difficult path, emphasizing that once a decision is made, there is no turning back. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” depicts a narrator in the woods with a horse, alone. The horse doesn’t understand why they’ve stopped, and the narrator eventually decides to go home. “Acquainted with the Night” has a somber tone, portraying a lonely, homeless person walking around without a destination, expecting no one to call him. Frost had a difficult life, losing his wife and children.
Themes: Stars, woods, houses, simple speech, contradictions.
Works: Home Burial, The Wood-Pile.
W.H. Auden
In “Friday’s Child,” Auden discusses God and the choices He has given us. “Lullaby” is a love poem about universal love and how time fades beauty but love remains. He acknowledges the fragility of love and appreciates it even more. “As I Walked Out One Evening” features three speakers: the clock, a person describing the scene, and a lover. One speaker claims love is eternal, but the clock reminds them that time is important and everything ends; you cannot fool time. Auden uses vernacular speech and often recounts journeys, quests, and love.
T.S. Eliot
Known for his use of satire and irony. Notable works include “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” “The Waste Land,” and “Four Quartets.”
Postmodernism
Postmodernism encompasses a wide range of developments in philosophy, arts, and culture. It is a reaction to Modernism, characterized by cultural pluralism, responses to technological advances, and reconceptualizations of society and history. Like Modernism, it often uses an objective point of view.
Themes: Irony, metafiction.
Joseph Heller
Known for his satirical works, such as Catch-22 and Good as Gold.
Thomas Pynchon
A fiction writer known for V. and Gravity’s Rainbow. His themes include science, history, and mathematics.
Kurt Vonnegut
Author of Breakfast of Champions and Slaughterhouse-Five. His themes include black comedy and science fiction.
Tim O’Brien
Wrote about his experiences in the Vietnam War in works like If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home. He blends fiction and reality.
Sylvia Plath
In “A Life,” Plath begins by describing a painting and then reflects on a time when she was sick in a hospital. “Blackberrying” starts with a description of picking blackberries and transitions into a metaphor for life’s sudden changes, ending with the realization that there are no more blackberries left. “Metaphors” explores themes of pregnancy and feeling trapped. In “The Colossus,” she addresses themes of depression, womanhood, motherhood, and nature.