1. Modernism March 18

2. DO Now- 5 Min How did the events of September 11 th change how Americans viewed their world? How has it changed our culture?

3. MODERNISM (1914 – 1940) Learning Target: I can summarize the tenants of modernism MODERNISM (1914 – 1940) Learning Target: I can summarize the tenants of modernism

4. Analyze This “World War I... destroyed faith in progress, but it did more than that—it made clear to perceptive thinkers... that violence prowled underneath man’s apparent harmony and rationality.” --William E. Leuchtenburg, The Perils of Prosperity

5. Picture This

6. AFTER THE GREAT WAR The devastation of World War I brought about an end to the sense of optimism that characterized the years leading up to the war. This more negative, or realistic, view of the world, and the technological advances, gave birth to Modernism

7. Definition Robert Wohl – “Modernism is a response by clusters of intellectuals and artists to the converging processes of industrialization” In Other Words… – Modernism is the reaction of artists and writers to the new society formed because of industrialization.

8. Value Differences in the Modern World Pre-Modern WorldModern World (Early 20 th Century) OrderedChaotic MeaningfulFutile OptimisticPessimistic StableFluctuating FaithLoss of faith Morality/ValuesCollapse of Morality/Values Clear Sense of IdentityConfused Sense of Identity and Place in the World

9. Major Influences WWI – 32 countries and claimed the lives of over 20 million people – new weapons b/c of technology – Signals an end to idealism and ushered in an era marked by hedonism*, political corruption, and ruthless business practices The Jazz Age / Roaring Twenties – “the greatest, gaudiest spree in history” (FSF) – Young people rebelling against past + tradition – Experimentation with fashion

10. Major Influences Prohibition (1920-1933) – Alcohol was made illegal – Bootleggers= sold alcohol anyway – Speakeasies= where alcohol was served despite prohibition New Era for Women – The right to vote (19 th am.) – Flapper= “an emancipated young woman who embraced new fashions and urban attitudes of the day” – More women working

11. Major Influences The Great Depression – Stock Market crashed in 1929 – Banks failed, businesses floundered, workers lost job; 25% unemployed – Farmers ruined and went West to find work. Tough times. Not many jobs and too many people. The New Deal (FDR) – New Deal programs: relief for the hungry and homeless, recovery for agriculture and business, and various economic reforms to prevent such a severe depression from occurring again.

12. Break Out Discuss: Based on the time period, what kind of tones and themes do you expect to see in modernist writing?

13. 1. instability 2. futility Characteristics of Modernism

14. 3. pessimism

15. 5. Loss of faith 4. chaos

16. Prohibition, “flappers,” more open about sexuality, drug-use 6. Collapse of “Morality”

17. 7. Disillusionment: a feeling of disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be

18. Break Out Do any of these characteristics seem relevant or similar to our circumstances today? Discuss and place any similarities on your whiteboards.

19. Ideal American Dream Endless Opportunities— “New Eden” Progress—Life should keep getting better and better The independent, self-reliant individual will triumph Do you believe these ideals are currently available?

20. What is Today’s American Dream? “American modernist writers both echoed and challenged the American Dream. They constituted a broader, more resonant voice than ever before, resulting in a second American renaissance. With all the changes, however, writers continued to ask fundamental questions about the meaning and purpose of human existence.”

21. The Purpose SHOCK AND AWE Modernist Writers sought to hit us with the truth and shock the senses Based on what we know: Why might these writers have sought to do this to their readers?

22. Rejection of the ideal 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, (stream of consciousness) sometimes expressed through new narrative techniques. – Examples—Hurston, Hemingway

23. Characteristics of Modernism in American Literature Emphasis on bold experimentation in style and form, reflecting the fragmentation of society. – Example—There is no resolution in “A Worn Path” Rejection of traditional themes and subjects. Loss of faith in religion and society. Sense of disillusionment and loss of faith in the American Dream – Example—Nick and Gatsby from The Great Gatsby

24. Author Ernest Hemingway Worked with Red Cross World War II Witnessed the Horrors of War Injured in Combat Struggled with Alcoholism

25. “Hills Like White Elephants” is similar to many of Hemingway’s other short stories. He uses straightforward writing, simple prose, and skeletal sentences. He leaves information out of this story intentionally. This allows the readers to fill in the blanks and come to their own conclusion. Hemingway knows how to trim language and has been said to “get the most from the least.” Hemingway uses a style that analysts call the “Iceberg Theory.” This is very evident in “Hills Like White Elephants.” His hard facts float above the water but most of the supporting structure, filled with symbolism, operates underwater.

26. Reading – 15 Minutes Page 229-230 Highlight any clues you find that might help us find out want the couple is discussing. Answer the following: 1.What perspective is this told from? 2.What is the girl’s name? 3.What is the nature of their relationship? Use examples from the text to justify your response.

27. Reading – 15 Minutes Page 231-232 Highlight any clues that may answer our questions or help us identify the plot and the conflict of the story. Answer: 1. What’s really going on here? Why?

28. Exit Using at least two examples from the text: What is the central conflict between the couple in Hemingway’s story? Explain your answer in 3-5 sentences.