Modernist Literature: A Reaction to 20th-Century Crisis
Modernism: A Response to a Turbulent Century
Historical Context: The Crisis of Western Civilization
The 20th century was a turbulent age. With the rise of modern industry, the economy developed rapidly, but people were mentally dominated by panic and were not free. The alienation between individuals and nature, society, others, and even the self was magnified. In World War I, human beings used the weapons invented by science and technology to massacre their own kind, and the concepts of freedom, love,
Read MoreIdentity and Distance in Thien’s ‘Simple Recipes’
Identity Reconstruction in ‘Simple Recipes’
In “Simple Recipes,” the author, Madeleine Thien, communicates the idea that individuals may need to distance themselves from familiar environments in order to break free from expectations and conventions, allowing them to reconstruct their own identity. Thien develops this central theme through three distinct perspectives:
- The narrator’s memories of her father’s traditions.
- Her brother’s open rebellion.
- Her own reflections as an adult.
Each perspective
Read MoreEdwardian Realism: Wells, Bennett, and Galsworthy’s Literary Legacy
The Realist Tradition in the Edwardian Period
Defining the Edwardian Era (1901–1910)
The Edwardian Period corresponds to the reign of Edward VII (1901–1910), preceding World War I (1900–1914). This era contrasted sharply with the preceding Victorian age, characterized by continued prosperity, confidence, and literary experimentation.
Key Edwardian Authors: Henry James, Joseph Conrad, E.M. Forster.
Traditional Edwardian Themes
- The Empire as a source of national pride.
- The countryside as the custodian
Analyzing V.S. Naipaul’s ‘B. Wordsworth’ Character Study
B. Wordsworth: Literary Discussion Points
Visualizing the Scene on Miguel Street
What details help you visualize the scene on Miguel Street?
An Indian in his dhoti, rice in a tin cup, the old woman smoking a pipe, and a blind man being led by a boy.
The Poet and the Boy
- What do you think B. Wordsworth means when he says that the boy is a poet? What might being a poet have to do with the theme of the story?
B. Wordsworth might feel that every human is potentially a poet, which would relate to the theme.
William Blake: Visionary Poet, Artist, and Engraver
William Blake: Poet, Artist, and Visionary
William Blake (born Nov. 28, 1757, London, Eng.—died Aug. 12, 1827, London) was an English engraver, artist, poet, and visionary.
Early Life and Divine Inspiration
Blake was born over his father’s modest hosiery shop at 28 Broad Street, Golden Square, London. His life and work were profoundly influenced by his spiritual beliefs.
In 1802, Blake wrote to his patron William Hayley, “I am under the direction of Messengers from Heaven Daily & Nightly.”
Read MoreTimelines of Infidelity: A Synopsis of Billie and Othello’s Tragedy
Act 1
Harlem, 1928
Billie and Othello discuss his infidelity with an unnamed white woman.
Harlem, Present: The Breakup
Billie lives in a walk-up at the intersection of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Boulevard in Harlem, NY. She is emotionally and intellectually broken because her husband, Othello, has left her for a white colleague named Mona. Billie is supported by her landlady, Magi, and by Amah, her sister-in-law (her brother Andrew’s wife), while she writes and lives as a shut-in.