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Modernist Literature Key Concepts

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Stream of Consciousness

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A narrative technique that presents thoughts as they occur in a character's mind, creating an intimate and chaotic portrayal of their psychological state. Key in representing the complexity of Modernist characters.

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Pastiche

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A literary technique that imitates various artistic styles and genres to create a new narrative voice or to satirize contemporary culture.

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Decadence

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Conveys the idea of moral, cultural, or aesthetic decline, often employed in Modernist literature to critique the opulence and superficiality of the contemporary world.

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Montage

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A filmmaking technique that involves editing and piecing together sections of film to form a continuous whole, which influenced Modernist literature's structure and form.

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Expressionism

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An art and literature movement focused on representing emotional experience rather than physical reality, emphasizing subjective perspectives and inner feelings.

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Existentialism

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A philosophical movement embraced by Modernists, emphasizing individual existence, freedom, and choices. This is pivotal for characters questioning their place in a seemingly meaningless world.

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Ambiguity

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A hallmark of Modernist texts, where meanings are uncertain or in flux, reflecting the indeterminate nature of truth and perception in the 20th century.

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Epiphany

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A moment of sudden revelation or insight experienced by a character, often leading to a dramatic shift in perspective or self-understanding.

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Eliot's 'Objective Correlative'

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T.S. Eliot's concept that art must evoke emotion through a pattern of objects, situations, or events rather than direct description, influential in Modernist poetics.

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Symbolism

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Use of symbols to represent ideas and emotions in a nuanced, abstract manner, allowing Modernist writers to express the unrepresentable and complex nature of reality.

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Parody

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A narrative strategy used to humorously imitate and exaggerate specific works or genres, often to criticize or subvert underlying assumptions or societal norms.

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Defamiliarization

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An artistic technique used to make familiar objects or scenes seem strange, enhancing perception and calling attention to the process of artistic representation.

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Mythical Method

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A narrative technique, as termed by T.S. Eliot, involving the use of mythological references and frameworks to give shape and significance to the modern world.

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Impressionism

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Originating in painting, this movement influenced Modernist writers who sought to capture fleeting moments and the subjective perception of reality rather than objective truth.

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Absurdism

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A philosophy that human beings exist in a purposeless, chaotic universe, often explored in Modernist literature, particularly with characters confronting an irrational world.

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Surrealism

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An aesthetic of combining the bizarre and the ordinary in art and literature to unlock the subconscious mind, reflecting Modernist interest in dreams and deeper truths.

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Fragmentation

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A form and thematic concern in Modernist literature, characterized by a breakdown of structure and order, often mirrored in disjointed narratives and the multifaceted nature of reality.

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Primitivism

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Modernists often sought inspiration from so-called 'primitive' cultures, art, and societies to critique the decadence of contemporary Western civilization and explore new aesthetic principles.

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Intertextuality

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The interconnectedness within texts through reference, quotation, or imitation, highlighting the relational approach Modernists took to literature and reality.

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Dystopia

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Imaginary societies that are often depicted as nightmarish or oppressive, reflecting Modernist concerns with totalitarianism and the dehumanizing effects of technology.

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Cubism

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An art movement influential on Modernist literature, notable for its abstracted, geometric forms and the representation of multiple perspectives simultaneously, impacting narrative techniques.

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Motif

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A recurring element or image in Modernist literature that symbolically signifies a theme or character, contributing to the work's overall structure and meaning.

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Free Verse

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Poetry that does not follow regular rhyme or meter, reflecting the Modernist push for innovation and expression beyond the constraints of traditional forms.

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Metafiction

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A narrative technique where a text self-consciously draws attention to its own status as a work of fiction, thereby challenging conventional notions of truth and representation.

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The Lost Generation

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A term used to describe the disillusioned post-WWI generation, featuring prominently in Modernist literature, with an underlying sense of disillusionment and loss of purpose.

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Alienation

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A central theme in Modernist literature, where characters are depicted as isolated from society and often from their own true selves, reflecting the fragmentation of the modern world.

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Irony

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A literary device frequently employed by Modernist writers to convey the contradictions between appearance and reality or the inadequacies of traditional values.

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The Avant-garde

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A term denoting new and experimental ideas and methods in art and literature, aiming to shock traditional audiences and push boundaries of conventional art.

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Juxtaposition

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Placement of two or more ideas, characters, or actions side by side to develop comparisons and contrasts, used by Modernist authors to explore complex themes.

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Unreliable Narrator

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A narrator whose credibility is compromised, challenging readers to engage critically with the text and interpret layers of meaning.

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