Contemporary LiteratureContemporary Literature1940 – present 1940 – present

An introduction and historical An introduction and historical contextcontext

Basic Definition Basic Definition

The literature of the modern The literature of the modern age reflects the uncertainty age reflects the uncertainty and anxiety brought on by and anxiety brought on by

the realities of war. the realities of war.

Overview of The Moderns Overview of The Moderns

Genre/Style :Genre/Style :Novels, Plays, Poetry, Novels, Plays, Poetry, experiments in writing styles, interior experiments in writing styles, interior monologue, and stream of monologue, and stream of consciousness.consciousness.

Effect/Aspects :Effect/Aspects :Pursuit of American Pursuit of American Dream, Admiration for America, Dream, Admiration for America, Optimism, and Individual Importance.Optimism, and Individual Importance.

Historical Context :Historical Context :Writers reflected Writers reflected the ideas of Darwin and Karl Marx, the ideas of Darwin and Karl Marx, during WWI and WWII.during WWI and WWII.

World War II World War II

World War II – it was a catastrophe of epic World War II – it was a catastrophe of epic dimension, the first war in history in dimension, the first war in history in which more civilians than soldiers died. which more civilians than soldiers died.

Writers who had personal experience with Writers who had personal experience with war, struggled to document and examine war, struggled to document and examine the meaning of war on a grand scale. the meaning of war on a grand scale.

Several writers examined the rampant Several writers examined the rampant anti-Semitism that fueled the Holocaust.anti-Semitism that fueled the Holocaust.

The Cold WarThe Cold War The Cold War – America came out of WWII The Cold War – America came out of WWII

a world power, wielding a new weapon – a world power, wielding a new weapon – the atomic bomb! the atomic bomb!

The Soviet Union, once an ally, emerged as The Soviet Union, once an ally, emerged as a rival superpower with equally large a rival superpower with equally large ambitions and a political system – ambitions and a political system – communism – which many saw as a threat communism – which many saw as a threat to the American way of life. to the American way of life.

Knowing any direct confrontation could end Knowing any direct confrontation could end in nuclear annihilation, the two nations in nuclear annihilation, the two nations fought a “cold war”, each side racing to fought a “cold war”, each side racing to develop more devastating weapons. develop more devastating weapons.

The Cold War – continued The Cold War – continued In literature, this pervasive fear of In literature, this pervasive fear of

known an unknown dangers prompted known an unknown dangers prompted a boom in a boom in science fictionscience fiction, as writers , as writers pondered what might arise if the pondered what might arise if the current trends continued. current trends continued.

The Cold War finally came to an end The Cold War finally came to an end with the breakup of the Soviet Union with the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, but America was not finished in 1991, but America was not finished with warfare. That same year US with warfare. That same year US troops were sent to Kuwait for the Gulf troops were sent to Kuwait for the Gulf War. War.

Vietnam War Vietnam War

The major American involvement in The major American involvement in Vietnam lasted about nine years and Vietnam lasted about nine years and bred a degree of domestic conflict bred a degree of domestic conflict unseen since the Civil War. unseen since the Civil War.

The literature of the time reflects the The literature of the time reflects the conflicts within the country. conflicts within the country.

Stream of ConsciousnessStream of Consciousness

A method of A method of writing where the writing where the author attempts to author attempts to project the feelings project the feelings and emotions of a and emotions of a character onto the character onto the reader. (allowing reader. (allowing the reader to get the reader to get into the mind of into the mind of the character)the character)

Historical BeginningsHistorical Beginnings

Most scholars credit Most scholars credit Manet (a painter) with Manet (a painter) with painting the very first painting the very first signs of Modernismsigns of Modernism

Manet began his Manet began his controversial painting controversial painting in the 1860’sin the 1860’s

However, Modernism However, Modernism took its form slowly, took its form slowly, and never replaced and never replaced Romanticism. Romanticism.

The Civil Rights Movement The Civil Rights Movement

Writers have both Writers have both recorded and recorded and reflected upon the reflected upon the civil rights movement civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s of the 1950s and 60s – perhaps the most – perhaps the most important social important social change in modern change in modern time. time.

Civil Rights continued Civil Rights continued In 1954, the Supreme Court’s Brown vs. In 1954, the Supreme Court’s Brown vs.

Board of Education struck down school Board of Education struck down school segregation. segregation.

Other Civil Rights advances followed, pushed Other Civil Rights advances followed, pushed along by black and white activists who along by black and white activists who organized protest marches, boycotts, voter organized protest marches, boycotts, voter registration drives, and sit-ins. registration drives, and sit-ins.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. emerged as a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. emerged as a leader of these times. leader of these times.

1964 Congress passed the 1964 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act. Civil Rights Act.

Literature of the Time Literature of the Time

Modern American Drama – following Modern American Drama – following WWII, some of the best and most WWII, some of the best and most influential writing was occurring influential writing was occurring within the community of the American within the community of the American theater. theater.

Dramatists such as Dramatists such as Arthur Miller Arthur Miller and and Tennessee Williams Tennessee Williams served as models served as models for the liberated playwright – for the liberated playwright – experimenting with stagecraft as well experimenting with stagecraft as well as modern themes often deemed as modern themes often deemed provocative. provocative.

Literature Themes Literature Themes

One of the most common themes explored One of the most common themes explored by these playwrights was the “American by these playwrights was the “American Dream”. Dream”.

A general disillusionment paired with an A general disillusionment paired with an experimental style characterized many of experimental style characterized many of the works of this period. the works of this period.

Works of the 1940s and 1950s were less Works of the 1940s and 1950s were less sympathetic. sympathetic.

Notable Writers of the Time Notable Writers of the Time

John Steinback – known for his John Steinback – known for his depression era literature depression era literature

Elie Wiesel – Holocaust memoir Elie Wiesel – Holocaust memoir Kurt Vonnegut – introduced a new Kurt Vonnegut – introduced a new

style of war literaturestyle of war literatureRichard Wright – race relations Richard Wright – race relations

literature literature Gwendolyn Brooks – Civil Rights era Gwendolyn Brooks – Civil Rights era

worksworks