The Moderns The Moderns

The Moderns---overviewThe Moderns---overview• The event that forms the far The event that forms the far

boundary for the era of writers in this boundary for the era of writers in this unit is WWI. Although America unit is WWI. Although America emerged victorious from the war, the emerged victorious from the war, the experience wrought great changes. experience wrought great changes. The The valuesvalues and and traditionstraditions of the past of the past no longer seemed to provide no longer seemed to provide answers.answers.

Questions and ChangesQuestions and Changes• Idealism Idealism was turning into was turning into cynicismcynicism

and a few Americans began to and a few Americans began to question “the Dream”.question “the Dream”.

• Other reasons for change were Other reasons for change were caused by the caused by the stock market crash stock market crash –in –in 1929. “Black Tuesday”1929. “Black Tuesday”

Moderns StyleModerns Style• The Modernist movement called for The Modernist movement called for

bold experimentation and a bold experimentation and a rejections of all traditional themes rejections of all traditional themes and styles.and styles.

Elements questioned within Elements questioned within the American Dreamthe American Dream1.1. America as a “new” Eden—America as a “new” Eden—seen as a seen as a

beautiful, bountiful, and rewarding land. beautiful, bountiful, and rewarding land. ((The Great Gatsby)The Great Gatsby)

2.2. Optimism in the future—Optimism in the future—moving moving toward perfection, toward an era of toward perfection, toward an era of prosperity, justice and joyprosperity, justice and joy

3.3. Belief in the importance and Belief in the importance and ultimateultimate triumph triumph of the individual—of the individual—the independent, self-reliant person.the independent, self-reliant person.

Elements questioned within Elements questioned within the American Dreamthe American DreamIt was these three ideas that were It was these three ideas that were

most heavily damaged by WWI and most heavily damaged by WWI and the economic crash of 1929.the economic crash of 1929.

New Movements –showing the New Movements –showing the breakdown of traditional morality and breakdown of traditional morality and valuesvalues1.1. Marxism---Marxism---In Russia a revolution In Russia a revolution

toppled the Czar. Socialistic beliefs were toppled the Czar. Socialistic beliefs were in direct opposition to the American in direct opposition to the American system.system.

2.2. Psychoanalysis---Psychoanalysis---Workings of the Workings of the unconscious mind caused anxiety about unconscious mind caused anxiety about the amount of freedom an individual the amount of freedom an individual really had. Was there such a thing as really had. Was there such a thing as “free will”?“free will”?

New Movements –showing the New Movements –showing the breakdown of traditional morality and breakdown of traditional morality and values values inin literatureliterature::3. 3. Stream of consciousness----Stream of consciousness----was was

a writing style that tried to imitate a writing style that tried to imitate the characters moment-by-moment the characters moment-by-moment flow of his unconscious. (Faulkner)flow of his unconscious. (Faulkner)

Major Theme of ModernsMajor Theme of Moderns• Disillusionment---Disillusionment---the condition of the condition of

being disenchanted / disappointed.being disenchanted / disappointed.

– Major theme running through much of the Major theme running through much of the fiction at this time.fiction at this time.