POSTMODERNISM

FEDERICA ZANABONI5A

2010-2011

Summary:

• Postmodernism

• A comparison between Modernism and Postmodernism

• Postmodernism in Possession

POSTMODERNISM

It is a concept that appears in a wide variety of disciplines:

• Art• Architecture• Music• Film• Literature• Sociology• Communications• Fashion• Technology

Postmodernism

Is a complicated term Is hard to define

It is not clear when it begins

Is still alive

Key-words:

FLUX CHAOS

Postmodernism has privileged variety and diversity

Postmodernism began as a social philosophy which rejected or revised the principles of Modernism

New vision of position of man in society and in the world

Postmodernism is a reaction to Modernism

Modernism

• Einstein’s relative theory• One single Truth• One system of signs• Essentiality• Elitist• Rigid separation between high culture and low culture • Plot• Paranoia

Postmodernism

• Quantum theory and chaos theory• It does not believe in one single Truth• It does not believe in one system of signs• Importance of communication• Eclectic (in style and ideas)• Acceptance of differences• Labyrinth

-Fragmentation

-Incoherence

-Chaos

Are celebrated

In brief, while Modernism still searched for universal truths and governing principles,

Postmodernism shows scepticism and operates in a deconstructive way

Deconstruction of character

Possession is an example to discuss postmodern fiction for many reasons:

Focus on language

high density of intertextuality

focus on research and academia

role of theory

scrutiny of literary genres

mixture of different text types