Postmodernism could be looked at as a time in which all art forms were challenged. The basic rules that essentially set the groundwork for artistic expression prior to the postmodernist phase were no longer looked at as a necessity now that artists of all kinds took it upon themselves to go against the status quo. For example, according to Peter Barry, “melody and harmony were put aside in music; perspective and direct pictorial representation were abandoned in painting, in favor of degrees of abstraction; in architecture traditional forms and materials (pitched roofs, domes and columns, wood, stone, and bricks) were rejected in favor of plain geometrical forms, often executed in new materials like plate glass and concrete” (78-79). But when …show more content…
In her book entitled “Break It Down,” which is a collection of short stories, Davis is able to write with a minimalistic style. For example, specific details are often left out in exchange for more subtle hints regarding the overarching plot, theme, character motivations, etc. This ultimately allows readers to take a more active role in reading because they are, for all intents and purposes, being forced to “infer the deeper meaning of the story from what [they] are given” …show more content…
Instead, Davis opts for pronouns like “he” or “she,” as well as few other terms, to name characters. One can find this in stories such as “The Letter” and “Once a Very Stupid Man.” Some will even find characters named based on who they are in relation to other characters. In the aforementioned “The Mother,” the only two characters are the girl and the mother. One of the most interesting cases of there being a lack of actual names is in “Problem” where all of the characters are given letters as names, starting with the letter ‘T” and ending with ‘Z’ (Davis 154). The lack of names works to Davis’ benefit because it allows her to deliver a story without worrying about miniscule things such as names distracting the reader. In most cases, names are merely an extra detail that really adds nothing to the story itself. One could even argue that names are only ever put in stories to make it easier to follow. By replacing traditional names with other descriptive words, though, Davis is, in fact, minimalizing her stories and allowing the readers to focus on analyzing what is in front of them rather than worrying about names and
An authors style defines itself as the way in which the author expresses themselves throughout the piece of literature. They express themselves through their word choice, word order, rhythm, imagery, sentence structure, figurative language, and literary devices. Sandra Cisneros’, “The House on Mango Street”, is a short story encompassing the events and thoughts of an un-named child narrator as they describe their family’s living arrangement. Sandra uses a distinct type of style throughout her writing which fits the short story well. On the other hand, William Carlos Williams’, “The Use of Force”, is a short story about a doctor’s visit to an unusual patients home. The stories have their own distinctive style which is unique to each but, there
Throughout the vast history of visual art, new movements and revolutions have been born as a result of breaking past conventions. This idea of moving past traditional styles was done by many artists in the 1950s and 1960s, including those artists who participated in the many different abstract movements. These artists decided to abandon old-fashioned techniques and ideas such as those of classical Renaissance, Baroque, or even Impressionist art. One of these new conventions, as discussed by art historian Leo Steinberg in his essay, “The Flatbed Picture Plane,” is the concept of a flat and horizontal type of plane in a work that does not have a typical fore, middle, or background like that of the traditional art from classical periods previously mentioned. The flatbed picture plane that Steinberg refers to is similar to that of a table in which items can be placed on top of, yet they are merely objects and do not represent any space. In his article, Steinberg explains that the opposite of this flatbed plane is the
The author uses short, simple sentences that manage to say a lot in a few words. The author also uses imagery. He also puts in his book references to historical events. These references increase the understanding and appreciation of Billy's story by suggesting historical and literary parallels to the personal events in his life. The novel does not have smooth transitions from one event to the next.
Modernity held movements that paved the path for new ways of thinking and expression as a result of the industrial revolution. Two of these movements are: Surrealism, and the school of Bauhaus. Although these movements are quite different in appearance, they both wanted to challenge the traditional customs of the time. Whether it be eliminating conscious editing of thoughts by the Surrealists or producing a new sophisticated approach to design in Bauhaus, these movements created unique artworks that reflected the times of change they existed in.
violence and change. Artists who worked in traditional media such as painting and sculpture, and in an eclectic range of styles. Some people went with the movement while others opposed it. I enjoy the different types of eclectic movement in art such as the paintings, drawings and the designs. It was not until 1911 that a distinctive futurist style emerged and then it was a product of Cubist influence. Futurism was not immediately identified with a distinctive style. Futurists were fascinated by the problems of representing modern experience, and strived to have their paintings evoke all kinds of sensations and not merely those visible to the eye. Futurist art brings to mind noise, heat, and even smell of the metropolis.
Style is a literary technique that authors use to reveal information about various aspects of the narrative. Style can be utilized as a way for the audience to read between the lines and unveil key information. Pejorative language expresses criticism and bad opinions. Flannery O'Connor's pejorative style is exhibited in many of her short stories. From the dialogue of a convict in “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” to the thoughts of not so wise Hulga in “Good Country People” her pejorative style unveils the perceptions of characters.
Postmodernity is said to be “a reaction against the Modern movement” (Nicol 2009) and has shown a complete disregard for many aspects of art and design that were popularized during modernity, including: legibility, the grid, and use of a clear hierarchy. Postmodernism, as an art movement, aims to create works based on an independent style. Nothing is new in postmodern art, in a sense that something always comes from something else.
Considering how to define Modernism and PostModernism required looking at how worldviews today play a large part of our perspectives towards society, culture and religion. Modernism is a sociological movement that began in the last decade of the 19th century and first decades of the 20th century that rejected the customary or traditional worldview to a new and improved way by asserting a shift in power and authority into the providence of leaders in politics and universities and away from the church.
Typically a story begins with an exposition, which introduces the characters, setting and plot. In the short story ?Popular Mechanics? by Raymond Carver, the exposition is excluded. The story begins with a short rise in action, moves quickly to the climax and totally omits the resolution. Carver uses third person objective narration to reveal the actions and the dialogue between a man and a woman. The narrator gives very little descriptive details, never revealing the characters? thoughts or their motivation. This allows the reader the freedom to interpret and develop their own opinions of the setting, plot, and characters of the story. This also stimulates the reader to be an active reader?to think about what is read, to ask questions, and to respond to the authors? style of writing.
Last but not least, O’Connor confirms that even a short story is a multi-layer compound that on the surface may deter even the most enthusiastic reader, but when handled with more care, it conveys universal truths by means of straightforward or violent situations. She herself wished her message to appeal to the readers who, if careful enough, “(…)will come to see it as something more than an account of a family murdered on the way to Florida.”
Margot Lovejoy “Art, Technology, and Postmodernism: Paradigms, Parallels, and Paradoxes” (Vol. 49, No. 3, Autumn, 1990): Page 257 of 257-265. “Art Journal”
If modernism and postmodernism are arguably two most distinguishing movements that dominated the 20th century Western art, they are certainly most exceptional styles that dominated the global architecture during this period. While modernism sought to capture the images and sensibilities of the age, going beyond simple representation of the present and involving the artist’s critical examination of the principles of art itself, postmodernism developed as a reaction against modernist formalism, seen as elitist. “Far more encompassing and accepting than the more rigid boundaries of modernist practice, postmodernism has offered something for everyone by accommodating wide range of styles, subjects, and formats” (Kleiner 810).
During the last twenty years of the nineteenth century a new form of artistic painting formed. Postimpressionism was a form of art where the artist was highly individual and expressive. Some of the most creative painters in history helped to make the style a success. Paul Gauguin and Paul Cezanne are two of the most creative and popular painters among the postimpressionists, but not the master. The master of the postimpressionist movement was Vincent Van Gogh.
In the 1950s, authors tended to follow common themes, these themes were summed up in an art called postmodernism. Postmodernism took place after the Cold War, themes changed drastically, and boundaries were broken down. Postmodern authors defined themselves by “avoiding traditional closure of themes or situations” (Postmodernism). Postmodernism tends to play with the mind, and give a new meaning to things, “Postmodern art often makes it a point of demonstrating in an obvious way the instability of meaning (Clayton)”. What makes postmodernism most unique is its unpredictable nature and “think o...
Artistic movements are often categorized by a specific aesthetic. These visual choices are usually a deliberate differentiating reaction to the current culture of art. Though most movements can be categorized by an aesthetic set of rules, such as Cubism, Romanticism, Impressionism, Fauvism, etc… Not all art movements can be defined solely within their visual associations. Nearly all major stylistic shifts in art were based on an ideology as well as a visual language. In the Arts and Crafts movement, the ideas behind the movement were more prevalent than a specific visual style. The Arts and Crafts movement not only changed the way people made objects in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but it also set into motion an ideological stance that persists today.