The Modern Age
(1901-1999)
Modern Age History and Literature is
generally divided into two main categories:
Early Twentieth
Century
(1901-1950)
Late Twentieth
Century
(1951-2000)
Early Twentieth Century (1901-1950)
I.
Influences from the late 19th century (the
Victorian Age) continued to affect 20th century
thinking:
A. Charles Darwin – His theories of natural
selection and survival affected views of
science, religion, social classes, and even
doctrines of racial superiority
B. Karl Marx – Advocated the abolition of private
property and traced economic injustices to “the
capitalist system of ownership.”
C. Sigmund Freud – Believed that motives of
human behavior are NOT found in the rational,
conscious mind but in the irrational, sexually
driven unconscious.
Early Twentieth Century (1901-1950) Cont’d.
II.
The Great War: “A War to End All Wars”
A. The heroic idea of war was harshly met with
realities of new technology in WWI
B. 60,000 young British men were killed or
wounded on the first day of the Battle of Somme
C. 300,000 were killed, wounded, or frozen to
death at the Battle of Ypres
D. The devastating losses of the war resulted in a
cynical attitude toward government, national
honor, and glory.
Early Twentieth Century (1901-1950) Cont.d.
III. Rise and Effects of World War II
A. Worldwide economic depression led to the rise of
dictators (Italy, Germany, Russia)
B. Britain perseveres and is successful only after
the U.S. and Soviet Union enter the war
C. Post-World War II Britain is transformed into a
welfare state—government provides medical care
and other basic benefits for its citizens
Late Twentieth Century (1951-2000)
I.
Britain loses status as
world power
A. British Empire loses
several “colonies” to
independence
B. British industry
declines and Britain
loses economic and
political status in the
world
Effects Upon Literature
I.
Much of the literature (especially following WWII) is
dark and pessimistic
A. More dark comedy and satire are written
B. Many works portray a civilization in ruins
(dystopia); traditional beliefs and morals are
challenged
Effects Upon Literature Cont’d.
II. A shift from Romanticism and the ideal to
Impressionism and Modernism
A. Impressionism – Focus on experience
B. Modernism – Focuses on the inner self;
personal perception are more valid than
socially-determined norms.
Lord of the Flies
 Prior to WWII, many people
tended to believe that mankind
was not "inherently evil" but
rather "inherently good." Evil
behavior was the result of
"ignorance and superstition.”
 Although World War I brought
doubt to this idea, most people
believed that the world had
"learned its lesson" and such an
awful war would never happen
again. Nazi Germany and the
Holocaust, however, quickly put
to death any such hopes.
 The atrocities of man's
inhumanity to man during WWII
caused Golding and other
educated people like him to
question the idea of man's
inherent goodness.
Lord of the Flies
 Lord of the Flies is Golding's
attempt to understand how
civilized, "good" people can carry
out and accept evil, including the
evil of savage and ritualistic
behaviors.
 Golding used the setting and some
characters of a favorite childhood
story, Coral Island, as the base for
investigating his views in Lord of the
Flies. But Golding's characters and
events have deeper, symbolic
meanings and represent specific
ideas and/or groups of people
 Critic Steve Szilagyi wrote: "You get
the impression that the real action
of Lord of the Flies is taking place
somewhere else. High in the
heavens, amid the clash of angels.
Or in some deeper realm, where
good and evil churn…"