World War I’s Transformative Effect on Literature
WWI’s Profound Impact on Society and Literature
The period of World War I may seem short in the history of human beings or art, but its influence on technology, politics, people, their lifestyles, and art was so huge that the conflict was called the Great War. Part of this effect was deeply felt in literature. World War I changed people and their points of view; writers altered their subjects and literary techniques, while readers’ expectations and tastes shifted. The class system was rocked by trade
Read MoreWorld War I and Modernism: Cultural Impact and Literary Themes
World War I and Modernism: 1914-1918
Centered in Europe, World War I involved two opposing alliances: The Allies, based on the Triple Entente of the UK, France, and Russia, and the Central Powers, the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. The war marked the rise of America as a global power. After World War I, the U.S. became the greatest power in the world, despite a tradition of non-involvement in foreign affairs. This shift is reflected in American writings, such as George W.
Read MoreEdith Wharton’s Summer: A Bildungsroman Analysis
Summer: An Analysis of Edith Wharton’s Bildungsroman
Edith Wharton’s Summer is widely regarded as a Bildungsroman, a story centered on a young person’s journey into adulthood. As is typical of the genre, Summer introduces Charity, a relatively sheltered young woman on the cusp of adulthood. Charity’s basic needs are met, and she lacks significant responsibilities. She is independent-minded yet somewhat childish, as evidenced by her exclamation, “How I hate everything”. She displays little curiosity
Read MoreThe Bluest Eye: Impact of White Beauty Standards on Black Lives
The Bluest Eye offers an extended depiction of the ways in which internalized white beauty standards deform the lives of Black girls and women. Implicit messages that whiteness is superior are everywhere. The novel follows the abolitionist and traditionalist novel, and there are multiple narrative voices. It is characterized as a bildungsroman. Furthermore, the novel concentrates on two topics: the highlight of the notion of racism and classism.
Pecola’s Struggle with Beauty Standards
The person who
Read MoreT.S. Eliot’s Poetic Techniques: Fragmentation and Scavenging
T.S. Eliot’s Use of Fragmentation and Juxtaposition
A key characteristic of this poem is its use of fragmentation and juxtaposition. Eliot maintained his interest in fragmentation throughout his career, adapting the technique in his works. Here, the subjects undergoing fragmentation are mental focus and imagery. In The Waste Land, it is modern culture that splinters. In the Four Quartets, we see fragments of philosophical systems. Eliot’s use of formal structure suggests that fragmentation, though
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