Modernism was a literary movement between 1915 and 1965 that rejected traditional forms and conventions. Modernist writers experimented with stream of consciousness writing and non-linear structures to challenge readers. They consciously warped traditional forms to create something new and rejected realism and naturalism. Modernist works often have a pervasive sense of doubt and darker themes as the writers challenged everything from point of view to the nature of the hero.

1. Modernism

2. Modernism – the Basics
► Modernism was a literary movement
between 1915 and 1965 (approximate
dates).
► The main characteristic of modernism is its
rejection of what came before. It’s a
rebellious movement, like many others, that
strives to throw the old way on its ear.

3. Experimentation
► Modernists rejected the traditional forms of
poetry and prose. They also rejected the
limits of realism and naturalism.
► This rejection made modernist writing a
hard pill to swallow for most since it was too
far out there, too much on the cutting edge
for the general public.

4. Experimentation
► Modernist writers consciously too traditional
forms and warped them to make them into
new creations. One of the modernist
mottos was “Make it new.”
► These writers also rejected the traditional,
chronological story telling structures.
Instead they experimented with stream of
consciousness writing and non linear
progressions.

5. Experimentation
► The images in a modernist piece may be
connected, but not in the traditional sense.
Readers can find this approach fragmentary,
but modernist writers used this technique to
challenge readers to make their own
meanings.

6. Doubt
► You will find that modernist writings often
have a pervasive sense of doubt. Modernist
writers challenged everything, from point-
of-view to the nature of the hero. As you
can imagine, writing with a constant sense
of doubt can lead to some darker themes,
so expect the modernist writing in this unit
to be a little more on the darker side.