The PPT throws light on these aspects viz, Postmodernism as a theory and as a movement, thematic features, characteristics, issues and problems in a nutshell.

1. WELCOME
S. Mohan Raj
Ph.D Research Scholar
VIT, Vellore.
9751660760
rajmohan251@gmail.com

2. 1. Before the concept Postmodernism there was another so-called the
Modernism.
2. It came into existence to the modern period combined with industrialisation,
market-oriented capitalist economies, new social classes, democracy, and
Enlightenment valuest- "reason and progress".
3. This controversial philosophy, the philosophy of the Enlightenment, it is possible
that "the establishment of objective facts and universal values.“ (Heywood, 2012)
What is Postmodernism?
Merriam-Webster: "of, relating to, or being any of various movements
in reaction to Modernism that are typically characterized by a return to
traditional materials and forms (as in architecture) or by ironic self-
reference and absurdity” (as in literature).

3. Origin of Post-Modernism
The term “post-modernism” was used in the Latin-American literary criticism and
in the Anglo-American literary debates in the 1930s and 1940s, the main analysis of
postmodernism got force mainly in the 1970s.
Post-modernism cannot be understood by ignoring modernism.
Modernism originated from the thought of “European Enlightment” that roughly
began in the middle of the 18th century.
The term modernity is used to donate the type of society that arose in the West
during the Enlightment.
Modernism appreciates human intellect as the significant strength and identifies
this strength as the basis of a scientific mentality.
Modernity can be characterized as an era of scientific mentality.
In literature, modernism is an aesthetic movement that got popularity from around
1910 to 1030. The main figures of high modernism include Virginia Woolf, James
Joyce, T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, Marcel Proust and Franz Kafka.

4. 1. Postmodernism has appeared in complex political circumstances, after the end of
World War II, especially in the context of,
2. Cold War and the spread of nuclear weapons,
3. The declaration of the birth of human rights,
4. The emergence of the theatre of absurd
5. The emergence of philosophies irrationalities such as surrealism, existentialism,
absurdism, and nihilism,
6. Moreover, the deconstruction was move from the stage of Modernism to Postmodernism.
The Postmodernism is to undermine Western metaphysics, and the
destruction of the central arguments that dominated ancient and modern Western thought,
such as
language,
identity,
origin,
voice, and
mind
so have used the mechanisms of dispersal, uncertainty, disagreement and
westernisation.
Postmodernism appeared combined with the philosophy of
anarchy,
nihilism,
disassembly,
meaninglessness and disorder;
therefore, it got some of its character from those philosophies.

5. Clearly, it has been
shown that the
ideas are relatively
different between
Postmodernism
concepts and
former Modernism.
Some believe that
the Postmodernism
is radically totally
different on
Modernism ideas.

6. Postmodernism has appeared firstly in the field of painting, architecture and
civil engineering, the theory has invaded all the disciplines, such as literature,
criticism, art, philosophy, ethics, education, sociology, anthropology, science and
culture, economics, politics, and architecture. (Carter, 2012)

7. Principles and elements:
1. Criticism of comprehensive explanatory theories.
2. Dual criticism of the analysis in the humanities.
3. A new vision to concepts of history, Time and Place.
4. The truth is relative and not absolute.
5. Rejected the Idea of Representation.
Postmodern literature is a form of literature which is marked both
stylistically and ideologically, by a reliance on such literary conventions as,
fragmentation,
paradox,
unreliable narrators,
often unrealistic and
downright impossible
plots, games, parody, paranoia,
dark humour, and
authorial self- reference.
Postmodern literature often rejects the boundaries between “high” and
“low” forms of art and literature as well as the distinction between genre and
forms of writing and storytelling.

8. Main Characteristic of Post-modernism
The following are some basic features of post-modernism.
1. Ambiguity is a common practice in postmodern literature.
2. Rejection of the ultimate faith in science.
3. Anti-positivist and anti-verificationist stance.
Individuality.
Subjective views got more emphasis.
Truth is considered as a matter of perspective and not universal.
Disregards binary opposition (like male vs. female, black vs. White East vs. West).
Most of the post-modern thoughts have mainly been originated from the “non-
sociologist‟ like Derrida, Lyotard, Jameson and others.
Apart from them, some other prominent writers were Foucault and Baudrillard.

9. Stylistic techniques that are often used in post-modern literature
Pastiche: The taking of various ideas from previous writings and literary styles and
pasting them together to make new styles.
Intertextuality: Acknowledgement of previous literary works with another literary work.
Metafiction: The act of writing about writing or making readers aware of the fictional
nature of the very fiction they are reading.
Temporal Distortion: use of non-linear timelines and narrative techniques in a story.
Minimalism: The use of characters and events which are decidedly common and non-
exceptional.
Maximalism: Disorganized, lengthy, highly detailed writing.
Magical Realism: Introduction of impossible or unrealistic events without clearly
defining what is factual or what is fictional.
Reader involvement: Often through direct address to the reader and the open
acknowledgement of the fictional nature of the events being described.

11. Issues and Problems of Post Modernism
1. Many readers find post-modern literature is difficult to understand. Use
of difficult language, forms and difficult jargons and terms. Ambiguous
way of explanation makes post-modern literature almost unreachable to
many readers.
2. Postmodernism does not contain the flavour of anything obvious but in
most cases, it is something that rejects any format or simplicity. Whatever
may be the field, whether it is art, music, architecture, literature or
sociological theory, lack of format has become the identity of postmodernity.
3. Nonetheless, the multifaceted characteristic of post–modernity makes it
bizarre. In most cases, the post-modernists highlights the problem
without pointing any solution. Many people believe that post-modernism
is just a theory and not a fact.

12. Pre-modernism, Modernism and Postmodernism

14. 1. Brooker, Peter,ed. Modernism/Postmodernism, London, 1972.
2. Bergonzi, Bernard, The Myth of Modernism and Twentieth Century Literature, N. York Martin Press, 1986.
3. Brann, E. T. H. (1992). What is Postmodernism?, The Harvard Review of Philosophy, Spring.
4. Copan, P. (2007). What is Postmodernism?, North American Mission Board, found in http://www.4truth.net.
5. Delanty, G. (2000). Modernity and Postmodernity, Sage Publications, London.
6. Faulkner, Peter, Modernism, Routledge , 1993.
7. Kari, Frederick R, Modern and modernism: The sovereignty of the Artist 1885-1925, New York: Atheneum,
1985.
8. Mc Hale, Brian, Postmodernist Fiction, New York, 1986.
9. Dictionary.com unabridged. http://www.dictionary.com/browse/postmodernism.
10. Merriam-webster online dictionary. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postmodernism
Reference