Modernism
Modernism in terms of American Literature is the literary movement that emerged in the lat 19th
and early 20th centuries. It was characterized by a break with traditional forms and conventions.
Writers of modernism sought to explore and reflect the fast-changing and fragmented world of
their time. In their writings, they focused on themes like alienation, disillusionment, and the
search for meaning in an uncertain world. They experimented with new narrative techniques,
such as stream of consciousness, fragmented structures, and ambiguous endings.
Notable figures in American Modernism include writers like:
-​
-​
-​
-​
-​
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Ernest Hemingway
T.S. Eliot
William Faulkner
Virginia Woolf
Early 1900s literature
In the early 1900s, Literature focused on themes of change, uncertainty, and the complexities of
modern life. This period was shaped significantly by influential movements: the Harlem
Renaissance and Modernism, both reflecting the societal transformation of the time.
HARLEM RENAISSANCE:
-​ Focused on the expression of African American identity, culture, and heritage
-​ Explored themes of racial pride, social justice, and the struggles against discrimination
-​ Highlighted the richness of African American art, music, and history
-​ Prominent figures: Langston Hughes, Zora Meaale Hurston, and Claude McKay
MODERNISM:
-​ Focused on breaking away from traditional literary forms and conventions
-​ Highlighted themes of alienation, disillusionment, and the search for meaning in a rapidly
changing world
-​ Emphasized experimentation with narrative techniques
The Great Migration
The Great Migration is the mass movement of approximately six million African Americans
from the rural Southern United States to urban areas in the North, Midwest, and West between
1916 and 1970. The factors for the migration included the search for better economic
opportunities, escape from racial violence and discrimination, and the hope for greater social and
political freedom. The demographic, cultural, and social landscape of the United States was
significantly reshaped, contributing to the growth of vibrant Black communities and cultural
movements.
Irony
The definition of irony is a literal or rhetorical device in which there is a contrast between
expectations and reality, creating a surprising or humorous effect.
TYPES OF IRONY
-​ Verbal Irony: Occurs when someone says one thing but means the opposite. E.g. Saying
“What a lovely day!” during a thunderstorm.
-​ Situational Irony: This happens when the outcome of a situation is the opposite of what
was expected. E.g. A fire station burning down.
-​ Dramatic Irony: found in literature, theater, or film when the audience knows something
that the characters do not. E.g. In Othello, the audience knows Iago is manipulating the
situation, but the characters do not.
Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural, social, and artistic movement during the 1920s and
1930s, centered in Harlem, New York. It redefined African American identity and creativity
within the literature, emphasizing pride in Black heritage and the struggles against racial
injustice. Writers explored themes such as racial pride, the complexity of Black life, and the
universal quest for dignity and equality.
KEY THEMES:
-​ Racial and cultural identity
-​ Struggles against racism and inequality
-​ Celebration of African heritage and Black life
-​ The duality of being African American in a racially divided society
Disillusionment
In American literature, disillusionment is the feeling of disappointment or the loss of idealism
when the actual thing is not what one thinks it should be or when what was once thought should
happen does not happen. This theme came into greater prominence after World War I because
many of the writers had to cope with the futility of war, going through societal change, and also
the fragile nature of the “American Dream”. Disillusionment narrates episodes of alienation,
moral degradation, and the quest for meaning in a swiftly evolving last epoch.
Understatement
Understatement is a type of rhetorical device where something is purposely made less than or not
as serious as it would otherwise be for some ironic or humorous effect. E.g., by saying, “It's just
a scratch,” about a large wound.
In American literature, understatement is also put to use to play down an important event or
emotion, thus revealing deeper truths. Such understatement is common in realistic works, as in
Kay Sorry's novel, and in modernist arts where subtlety and restraint allow the reader to view
what is not overtly visible in the text. Hemingway's iceberg theory, for instance, is largely
dependent on understatement and leaves much emotional import beneath the surface of his spare
prose. Readers can then be involved to a deeper level and able to derive the unspoken meaning
themselves.
Connotation/denotation
Denotation refers to the dictionary definition- the explicit meaning- of a term without any sense
of an emotion or culture. For example, "snake" denotes a kind of reptile.
Connotation refers to the emotional, cultural, or implied meanings and associations tied to a
word beyond its literal definition. For example, the word "snake" might have connotations of
deceit and danger because of its cultural and literary associations.
In American literature, authors often play with connotation to evoke deeper emotional responses
or symbolic meanings.
Satire
A satire is a kind of literary device or a form of writing that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or
ridicule to criticize and exalt the shortcomings or faults, vices, or follies of an individual, society,
institution, or politics. Most of the time, an audience thinks, inspires a change, and entertains
while subtly critiquing.
-​ HORATIAN SATIRE: Light-hearted and humorous; gently mocks human flaws or
societal issues with the intent of amusing and entertaining
-​ JUVENALIAN SATIRE: Darker, more biting, and serious in tone; Seeks to criticize
corruption, injustice, or moral failings, often with scorn and a sense of outrage
-​ MENIPPEAN SATIRE: Focuses on attacking mental attitudes or ways of thinking rather
than individuals or institutions; often abstract and philosophical, blending prose and
verse.
Existentialism
Existentialism is a philosophical focus on individual freedom, choice, and the search for
meaning in a universe that appears indifferent or chaotic. It holds individuals accountable with
respect to what they
make of their own lives, while often encompassing themes such as alienation, despair, and
authenticity.
Often, existentialism in American letters wrestles with the trials of individuals trying to find
meaning and identity amidst the modernity that seems so disjointed or empty. Ralph Ellison
(Invisible Man) and Richard Wright (Native Son) treat some of these life-and-death struggles
within existential perspectives specifically within a thematic racial, embodiment, and
society-punishing evil. They tend to have characters that are alienated and sullied by injustice in
a world riddled with bitterness and destruction.
In addition, existentialism reflects the values of Modernism through the absence of coherence,
disillusion regarding understood existence, and the questioning of previous rules. The works of
modernist writers- Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald reveal in their restructured and themes
of vulnerability, hollowness linked with an "American Dream," and self-understanding while the
world accelerates its pace.
Existentialism and racial theories emerged during the Harlem Renaissance to scrutinize aspects
of Black identity and resistance to oppressive systems. For instance, Langston Hughes and Zora
Neale Hurston addressed self-worth, freedom, and authenticity concerning racism and cultural
legacy. Their works mostly testify to an existential search for meaning through adversities,
showing complexity in individual and communal identity.