Eng426 20th century english literature

Epiphany

This term refers to moment of realisation. In modernist works, it is often used to show a point at which a character comes to terms with the realities about him/herself. An
example of this will include a character who is at the verge of choosing a career or has already chosen one but suddenly realises that (s)he is not fit for the career but for something else due to her personality. It can also be an awakening in a character which makes him/her realise where his/her happiness lies. In short, epiphany lets a character to know the truth about him/herself.

Self-Assessment Exercise

In not more than three paragraphs, explore the attitude of modernist writers to characterisation and linear plots.
Explain the concept of ‘anti-heroism and existentialism’ in modernist literature

4.0 CONCLUSION

The techniques the modernists adopted are challenging. Readers are “shocked” out of complacency and are helped to understand that their world has truly changed and this change requires drastic reactions.
Modernists challenged and opposed the traditional or conventional form of writing as shown in their works. Though the themes in the preceding paragraphs are not exhaustive of their concerns but they are some of the major ones.

5.0 SUMMARY

The different techniques adopted and advanced by the modernists have been explained in this unit. You have been exposed to what to expect when you read a modernist text. These techniques might be a little challenging at first because they are different from what you are used to, but the fact is that when you remember what these writers wanted to accomplish by their style of writing, you will learn to appreciate and critic whatever their new creativity offers.
In this unit, you have been exposed to some of the themes of modernist writing such as; lack of communication, aloneness, solitariness, existentialism, search for new ground, rebellion and individuality, trauma and gloom. The unit shows that the cardinal concern of the modernists was to make literature new by showing the realities of their societies after the First World War