The Era of ModernismThe Era of Modernism

1910-19501910-1950

Shaping InfluencesShaping Influences

The speed at which people and The speed at which people and information traveled increased information traveled increased exponentially as a result of:exponentially as a result of:– The automobileThe automobile– The radioThe radio– The telephoneThe telephone

Information RevolutionInformation Revolution

Print technology led to quick Print technology led to quick distribution of information.distribution of information.

People received news, information, People received news, information, and ideas more quickly than ever and ideas more quickly than ever before.before.– MagazinesMagazines– BooksBooks– NewspapersNewspapers

The Power of InformationThe Power of Information

All of this information forced many into a All of this information forced many into a feeling of outrage at the wars and allowed feeling of outrage at the wars and allowed people to experience and share ideas in such people to experience and share ideas in such a magnitude that there was no longer one a magnitude that there was no longer one common bond within our country.common bond within our country.

Religion, government, and politics were all Religion, government, and politics were all questioned with greater regularity because of questioned with greater regularity because of the diverse information available to the the diverse information available to the public.public.

*Development of psychology contributed *Development of psychology contributed greatly (to be discussed later)greatly (to be discussed later)

The Effect of WarThe Effect of War The great war caused people to The great war caused people to

doubt traditional beliefs such as:doubt traditional beliefs such as:– Religion – death and destruction caused Religion – death and destruction caused

a lack of faitha lack of faith– Gender roles – women taking on male Gender roles – women taking on male

roles in factories and other vocationsroles in factories and other vocations– Women’s rights – independence and Women’s rights – independence and

freedomsfreedoms

Cultural and Social ChangesCultural and Social Changes

Led to people discovering new ways Led to people discovering new ways of expressing themselves.of expressing themselves.

Jazz music broke previous musical Jazz music broke previous musical barriersbarriers– Syncopation Syncopation – Irregular rhythmsIrregular rhythms– Creative / expressiveCreative / expressive

The Influence of MusicThe Influence of Music

Dance stylesDance styles– ProvocativeProvocative– Flappers – women gained power and lost Flappers – women gained power and lost

inhibitionsinhibitions– Rebellious Rebellious – SexualSexual

Modernism’s Effect on Literature:Modernism’s Effect on Literature: Virginia Woolf said: “On or about Virginia Woolf said: “On or about

December 1910, human nature December 1910, human nature changed.” changed.”

She was referring to World War I and the She was referring to World War I and the unprecedented destruction that unprecedented destruction that accompanied it.accompanied it.

Gertrude Stein, American author and Gertrude Stein, American author and expatriate, labeled the time period “The expatriate, labeled the time period “The Lost Generation”Lost Generation”– Referred to the lack of stability among the Referred to the lack of stability among the

dissenting classdissenting class

World War IWorld War I The most pivotal event of the The most pivotal event of the

Modernist eraModernist era The attitude of the country changed The attitude of the country changed

– People distrusted old politics, old People distrusted old politics, old systems, and old ideassystems, and old ideas

– The incredible destruction of the war left The incredible destruction of the war left people searching for new meaningpeople searching for new meaning

Americans AbroadAmericans Abroad

Many Americans disillusioned by the Many Americans disillusioned by the great war found it difficult to live in great war found it difficult to live in America and deal with the politics of America and deal with the politics of the post-war era.the post-war era.

As a result, many people chose to As a result, many people chose to leave the country for Europe.leave the country for Europe.

They became known as They became known as expatriatesexpatriates..

Post-war ProsperityPost-war Prosperity In the 1920s, America entered a In the 1920s, America entered a

decade of post-war prosperity and decade of post-war prosperity and exhibitionism.exhibitionism.– Industrial boom allowed people to Industrial boom allowed people to

capitalize financially.capitalize financially.– The number of college graduates The number of college graduates

doubled.doubled.– The stock market flourishedThe stock market flourished

The 1920sThe 1920s

As people dealt with the pain and As people dealt with the pain and loss of the war, many masked that loss of the war, many masked that pain with pain with excess.excess.

Luxury items became vogue, and Luxury items became vogue, and people tried to outdo each other with people tried to outdo each other with material objects.material objects.

F. Scott Fitzgerald said: “It was the F. Scott Fitzgerald said: “It was the beautiful and the damned, drowning beautiful and the damned, drowning in their own pleasure.”in their own pleasure.”

The Literary ResponseThe Literary Response

Unhappy with the past and distrusting Unhappy with the past and distrusting old ideas and values, the authors and old ideas and values, the authors and artists of the time period wanted to artists of the time period wanted to break from tradition and create new break from tradition and create new and innovative stylesand innovative styles

Poet, Ezra Pound, was a leader of this Poet, Ezra Pound, was a leader of this movement, and his cry to other authors movement, and his cry to other authors was:was:

““Make it New!”Make it New!”

Literary ResponseLiterary Response Like both music and art, the literary Like both music and art, the literary

community lashed out at traditional community lashed out at traditional style and conventional forms, initiating style and conventional forms, initiating new modes of expressionnew modes of expression

The traditional plot structure was often The traditional plot structure was often replaced with FRAGMENTARY narrativesreplaced with FRAGMENTARY narratives– The idea of a beginning, middle, and end, The idea of a beginning, middle, and end,

became distortedbecame distorted– Many details were left out, forcing readers Many details were left out, forcing readers

to actively participate in the literatureto actively participate in the literature

Literary ResponseLiterary Response

Encouraged stylistic innovations and Encouraged stylistic innovations and disruptions of traditional formsdisruptions of traditional forms

By challenging tradition, they believed By challenging tradition, they believed they could reinvigorate literaturethey could reinvigorate literature

Wanted to break from patterned Wanted to break from patterned responses and predictable structuresresponses and predictable structures

Modernist CharactersModernist Characters Like the authors themselves, many Like the authors themselves, many

characters were isolated, disillusioned, characters were isolated, disillusioned, and questioned their place in society and and questioned their place in society and the worldthe world

Many writers and their characters felt Many writers and their characters felt alienated from the majorityalienated from the majority

Characters were often looking for answers Characters were often looking for answers or trying to deal with their confusion as a or trying to deal with their confusion as a result of traditional restrictions placed on result of traditional restrictions placed on them by society them by society

Modernist CharactersModernist Characters

Characters were forced to come to Characters were forced to come to grips with their anxieties caused by grips with their anxieties caused by guilt imposed on them by societyguilt imposed on them by society– GovernmentGovernment– ReligionReligion– Gender roles, etcGender roles, etc– They questioned They questioned

systems that imposed rulessystems that imposed rules

A Time of ChangeA Time of Change

Never before had there been such Never before had there been such radical changes in literature and artradical changes in literature and art

Style, tradition, and form were all Style, tradition, and form were all altered, creating new ways of seeing altered, creating new ways of seeing life.life.