Literary Modernism

            Literary Modernism originated in the late 19th and early 20th century, specifically 1914-1945. It was mainly used in North America and Europe. The main reason for the development of modernism was because of war in particular the world wars. People began to ask questions of what was becoming of the world, and in my views the literary modernism style, was a style to try and explain or answer why things of devastation were occurring. 
           Major events that caused authors to write in a literary modernistic form were women's rights and racial rights. In the 1920s the 19th amendment gave women the write to vote. The NAACP got black officers commissioned during war. There was a conversation of immigration with in North America, should it be allowed or should it not be allowed? People were also trying to find their identity. Especially after the war, it was hard for people to find themselves and try to put their lives back together. 
         Most writers today are still writing under the shadows of modernism which is now called post modernism. Some famous writers of modernism are; Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzegerald, and Wallace Stevens.

            Characteristics of modernism are: 

• Self consciousness and irony concerning literary and social conventions
• narration through fragmented or multiple perspectives or view points
• internalized or interior perception
• realistic details
• heroic individualism of romanticism
• mixes revolutionary and reactionary elements
• questions cultures                 

CITED FROM:           http://coursesite.uhcl.edu/HSH/Whitec/terms/M/modernism.htm