Absurdist v. Realist Literature

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Literature is the collection of fictional and non-fictional works, illustrating various themes and tones, allowing the reader to feel and react a certain way. Literature is a form of written art which is representative of various words and meanings. Literary works entertain the reader through presenting various intellectual, ethical, and social problems. A reader’s beliefs are challenged when individuals are presented with feelings pertaining to various “thoughts, pasts, futures, and the ultimate values of stories” (Jewell 1). Absurdist stories illustrate manipulation through presenting the reader with a distorted perception of reality; conversely, realist stories strive to present the reader with a legitimate depiction of lifelike elements through proving that people are indeed products of their environments.

Manipulation and domination are two common themes which are pertinent to numerous real life circumstances. In absurdist forms of literature, manipulation is portrayed through the domination of one character of increased power over another. Similarly, according to the British Journal of Developmental Psychology, bullying has been documented as a form of manipulation in modern society. Bullying is “the systematic abuse of power” over others. Bullying can be likened to the absurdist theme of dominion since “dominance is often associated with social skills and manipulation of belief” (Sutton 444). Furthermore, the Applied Cognitive Psychological Journal describes how manipulating power can affect memory conformity. A recent study monitored the effects of past occurrences and the various mediums through which people receive information pertinent to these events. In one instance, a co-witness gave information about a past event...

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...hrough Media Influence. New York, NY US: Oxford University Press, 2009. PsycINFO. Web. 29 Mar. 2012.

Jewell, Richard. "Literature: The Language Art." tc.umn.edu. University of Minnesota, 7 Sept. 2011. Web. 29 Mar. 2012.

Saunders, George. Pastoralia: Stories. New York: Riverhead, 2000. Print.

Skagerberg, E. M. and Wright, D. B. (2008), Manipulating Power Can Affect Memory Conformity. Appl. Cognit. Psychol., 22: 207–216. DOI: 10.1002/acp.1353.

Snell, Joel C., and Mitchell Marsh. "Review Of 'The Blank Slate: The Modem Denial Of Human Nature'." Psychology And Education: An Interdisciplinary Journal 42.3-4 (2005): 52- 53. PsycINFO. Web. 29 Mar. 2012.

Sutton, J., Smith, P. K. and Swettenham, J. (1999), Social Cognition and Bullying: Social Inadequacy or Skilled Manipulation? British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 17: 435–450. DOI: 10.1348/026151099165384.

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