This PPT is prepared for classroom presentations of MA Semester 2, presented at the Department of English, MKBU. This presentation contains the discussion about Stream of Consciousness as a literary technique.

1. Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.
Paper No. - 11oA History of English Literature - From 1900 to 2000
● Topic :- ‘Stream of Consciousness’ -
An Exploration of a Literary
Technique.
Prepared by :- Hetal Pathak

2. Personal Information :-
Presented by :- Hetal Pathak
Roll No. - 09
Enrollment No.- 4069206420220022
Semester :- 2
Paper No. - 11o
Paper Name :- History of English Literature - From 1900 to 2000
Paper Code :- 22403
Topic :- ‘Stream of Consciousness’ - An Exploration of a literary Technique
E-mail :- hetlpathak28@gmail.com
Submitted to :- Smt S.B.Gardi , Department of English , M.K.B.U

3. Definition of Stream of
Consciousness
Importance of understanding
Stream of Consciousness in Literature
Notable Characteristics
Table of Contents
Examples From Literature
Conclusion

4. ❖ Introduction :-
‘Stream of Consciousness’ technique Occupies an important Position in
20th century Fiction.
The literary technique that represents the thoughts and Feelings of a
Character as they Occur.
The term was First used by the Psychologist william James in ‘The
Principles of Psychology’ (1890).
In the Article named ‘What is the Stream of Consciousness Technique’ by
Lawrence Edward Bowling - In that Frederick J. Hoffman Observes that ;
● “Writers and Critics are both Confused by the idea of interior
Monologue or the Stream of Consciousness , as it is more Primarily
known. ’’ (Bowling)
The term is often used as a Synonym for Interior Monologue.

5. Definition of Stream of Consciousness
According to Merriam Webster Dictionary
of English Language ‘Stream of
Consciousness means - “The Continuous
unedited chronological flow of conscious
experience through the Mind.”

6. Importance of Understanding Stream of Consciousness in Literature
.
❏ In literature, the Phrase refers to the Flow of these thoughts, with reference to a Particular
Character’s thinking Process.
❏ This literary device is usually used in order to provide a narrative in the form of the
Character’s thoughts instead of using dialogues or description.
❏ The thought Process in the mind of Characters is never Coherent and Jumps from one
thought to the another.
❏ The Cruel effects of world wars had changed People’s thoughts and as a result Literature too
changed along with that due to Fundamental human experiences.
❏ Men came from the war disillusioned with the way that what People saw, did and
experienced.
❏ So, That is how this new technique emerged during the 20th century for the
Modern writers.

7. Notable Characteristics of Stream of Consciousness
➔ It Records Multifarious thoughts and Feelings. In this technique the
Speakers thoughts are more often depicted as overhead in the mind.
➔ The Authors of this technique Follow Visual, auditory, Factile
associative impressions and express then using interior monologue
of the Characters.
➔The main aim of this technique is at expressing in words about the
flow of Character’s thoughts and feelings in their minds.
➔The technique named :- ‘Stream of Consciousness’ aspires to give readers
the impression of being inside the mind of the Character.

8. Some Examples from Literature :-
The Novelist must build the world in Which his
Characters will live. For the Stream of Consciousness
novelist, this Problem is one of Unusual importance.
James Joyce Postpones using lengthy Stream of
Consciousness Passage until he has established the
outline of the main Characters, their relationships and
the world in which they live.
For Joyce, His Fiction is marked by moments of intense
realization when his Characters suddenly discover
truths about themselves and are given moments of
intense sight. (Hegberg)

9. ● James Joyce’s novel - ‘ULYSSES’ can be considered as one of
the best example of this Stream of consciousness technique.
● The Characters in ULYSSES have their own Problems and
they have an Unbroken Flow of Perception, Feelings and
thoughts in Waking Mind.
● The mental Process of Character is vividly shown through
Stream of Consciousness technique.
● Joyce’s Great novel that sees the work as an expansive and
Encompassing Study of the mind which one can Organizes and
interactions with the World. (Steinberg)
One Example :- James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’ :-

10. Second Example :- Virginia Woolf’s ‘Mrs.Dalloway’ :-
The novel details a day in the life of clarissa Dalloway , a Fictional
high Society woman in Post First World war England.
The novel addresses Clarissas Preparations For a Party she will host
that evening.
With an interior perspective, the story travels Forwards and
backwards in time and in out of Characters mind to construct an
image of Clarissa’s life.
So, That is how this novel also explores the technique of Stream of
Consciousness by Virginia Woolf through the Character of Clarissa
Dalloway.

11. Conclusion :-
To Conclude One can see the role of Stream of consciousness in
literature is typically as a Character study. It is such a Purposeful
innovation in the modern Prose Style. Hence, the study of this
literary technique tried to locate how far these novelists have
succeeded in achieving it,

12. Works Cited :-
.
Top University in Jalandhar - Best Institute in Jalandhar Punjab,
https://www.davuniversity.org. Accessed 15 March 2023.
Bowling, Lawrence Edward. What is the Stream of Consciousness Technique?, vol.
65, 1950, p. 13, https://doi.org/10.2307/459641. Accessed 15 March 2023.
Hegberg, Garry L. A Portrait of Consciousness: Joyce’s Ulysses as Philosophical
Psychology, 2020, https://doi.org. Accessed 15 March 2023.
Steinberg, Erwin R. INTRODUCING THE STREAM-OF-CONSCIOUSNESS TECHNIQUE
IN ULYSSES, vol. 2, 1968, p. 10, https://www.jstor.org/stable/42944982. Accessed 15
March 2023.
“Stream of consciousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster,
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary. Accessed 15 Mar. 2023.

13. Thank you!