POSTMODERNISM

KATIE WILLIAMS

MR. RICHARDSON’S 1ST PERIOD

LITERATURE

Modern literature and postmodern literature differ on the basis that in postmodern literature there was more freedom, more outlooks. Modernist literature was more science based and was more traditional story telling.

EXPERIMENTATION• Postmodernism literature was being

experimented with.• There was an explosion of new ideas.• Story lines changed• character development changed• Writers were beginning to create new

words within the literature and told stories a new way.

EXPANDING THE HORIZONS

• Writing changes from white males writing to minority groups and females writing as well.

• Women are no longer criticized for not writing romances.

• African Americans are allowed more freedom of which to write.

• Minorities were the hero’s in their stories and no longer minor characters

SERIOUS ART IN LITERATURE• Writers began using serious

art in their literature and began to expand

• Expanded not only in minority groups but their texts as well.

• These two together created “art for the masses,” which many

different people could enjoy.

RELIGIONModernism is yet again the more traditional of the two time periods. Postmodernist believed in working outside of the church, but keeping a relationship with your God. Postmodernists were also more welcoming to other religions.

TRADITIONS WHIPPED CLEAN

• Most Postmodernists did not believe in organized religion.

• They believed your home could be your church.

• They did not believe you had to publicly show your religious beliefs, like prayer in school.

OTHER RELIGIONS

• The major difference In postmodernism is that they believe all religions are valid.

• They do not judge a culture based on the normal Catholic outlook.

• They define your morality as your own personal list of do’s and don’ts.

• Each person has the choice and the right to believe in what they want.

TRADITIONS?

• Postmodernists did not believe in marriage.

• They believed it the ultimate sin.

• Because postmodernists do not have organized religion, they see no real reason for marriage.

• Believe in bringing the kingdom of God to Earth,

• Doing charity work to help your community and in turn the world.

POLITICS

Modernists thought the world should have one culture, just like one political view. Postmodernists believe in having individual cultures and allowing expansion of cultural immigration across the world creating more cultures.

IDENTITY POLITICS• When you construct political

identity by participating in the struggle of the group – Martin Luther King Jr.

• Creating your political profile based on the organizations you affiliate yourself with.

• Basing your support on people who have the same identity as you

• Using the fact that they are part of the minority group to base relationships with the followers of the group.

LIBERAL BIAS• They believe that negative values such as racism and homophobia are wrong

• Fundamentalists are viewed with contempt and ridicule

• They feel everyone should receive the same respect, except the individuals who are bias.

• Faceless bureaucracies are outdated and old-fashioned.

SOCIAL JUSTICE• Do not believe in political

parties• Not utopia visions- believe

“one world one vision”• They instead find oppressed

groups and lift the oppression –civil rights movement, gay rights movement

SOCIOLOGY The difference in social elements between postmodernism and modernism is not only the fashion, but the structures of the families changed dramatically. Also the

FAMILY LIFE• Instead of the traditional nuclear

family, there is no single definition of family.

• Same sex marriages emerged• Families with children from past

marriages become popular• Single parent families aren’t unheard

of.

STUDY OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR• All aspects are open for discussion and

observation• Masters & Johnson study of sexuality• Banishing of words like abnormal and

deviant from psychological observation of gays and or abnormal lifestyle choices

• The Kinsey report introduced a “gay to straight” scale judging sexual attractions

EDUCATION

• Postmodern education includes teaching children about non western cultures

• All cultures deserve equal respect• People are more accepting of

cultural differences and outlooks• Political correctness as a goal; to

offend no one.• Truth is relative, each person

must choose what they think is the truth.

ARTISTIC

Modernists viewed art as part of a way to change the world and society. Postmodernists believe art can voice their ideologies, but did not expect to see a change come from it.

MIXTURE OF STYLES• Artists no longer use art

styles in their pure form, but mix multiple styles together as one.

• Cubism, surrealism, and expressionism used in the same pictures or creations mixed together.

• Done to expose the artificiality of style

VIEWER INVOLVEMENT• Postmodernism art required

the viewer to interpret the image to give it meaning.

• Although there could be part of the artists’ political views in the creation.

• The artists’ leave room for the viewers own political view points.

• Allow the viewer to interpret the creation in their own terms

IMPROPER ART• Art became a hybrid of canvas and other

materials, such as sculpture and even trash

• Pop art celebrated the consumer in advertising

• Pop art bridged high art (painting), with low art painting (advertising)

• Andy Warhol’s Campbell's soup cans are a classic example of pop art

POSTMODERNISM IS..

While modernism embraces the grand narrative and knowledge for its own sake, postmodernism looks at the smaller picture. Postmodernism looks at micro-narratives - not the story of a culture or a world, but that of a small, ordinary person living in that world.

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