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Modernism 1914-1939.

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Presentation on theme: "Modernism 1914-1939."— Presentation transcript:

1 Modernism

2 The American Dream America as the New Eden: a land of beauty, bounty and unlimited promise. A Belief if Progress: Americans believe in the promise of progress. We are on a constant move toward prosperity. Triumph of the Individual: Everything is possible for the one who places trust in his or her own powers. Where have we seen this idea before?

3 The Dream Isn’t Fully Realized…Why?
WWI and the Stock Market Crash of 1929 greatly damages these notions of the American Dream. American Literary tradition makes a major shift away from New England (the center of early American literature). Most modernist writers were born in the South, the Midwest, or the West.

4 Tenets of Modernism Emphasis on bold experimentation in style and form, reflecting the fragmentation of society. Rejection of traditional themes, subjects and forms. Sense of disillusionment and loss of faith in the American dream. Rejection of sentimentality and artificiality. Rejection of infallible heroes; in favor of a hero who is flawed and disillusioned, but demonstrates “grace under pressure” Interest in the inner workings of human mind, expressed through stream-of-consciousness writing

5 The Jazz Age 1919 Constitution prohibits the sale of alcohol.
Prohibition ushers in an age characterized by the bootlegger, the speakeasy, the flapper, jazz, and the mobster! In 1920, women won the right to vote and began making a real presence of themselves. As the twenties progressed, some artists, writers, and philosophers found enjoyment abroad, namely in Paris. This wave of expatriates symbolized the fall of the American dream.

6 Grace Under Pressure: The New American Hero
Ernest Hemingway is perhaps the most influential post WWI writers. His style is plain, like the Puritans. He reduced the flamboyancy of literary language to the bare bones of truth it must express. The new hero (first introduced by Hemingway) is a man of action, a warrior, and a tough competitor; he has a code of honor, courage, and endurance. He demonstrates “grace under pressure.” This hero is thoroughly disillusioned (belief that at the center of creation lay nothing at all). Hemingway felt enormous importance in the belief of oneself and the qualities of bravery, decency, and competence.

7 Modern Poetry Traces of British poetry are washing away.
Abroad, poets are influenced by artists like Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso who were exploring new ways to represent reality. Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot experiment with symbolism and imagism Some poets remained in America and rejected modernist trends…Robert Frost.

8 What is Symbolism? The world of appearances is violently rearranged by artists who seek a different and more truthful version of reality. Has nothing to do with the our preconceived notions of “symbolism.” Tried to get rid of overused and trite symbols. Stressed a need for the trust in the nonrational because imagination was much more reliable than reason (Romanticism). The symbolists found no solace in nature because nature had been reduced by too much scientific classification. Outraged by poverty, technology, violence and conflict, the symbolists attempted to redefine what it meant to be human when individualism was succumbing to mass culture.


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