Post 1914 Prose/Drama (OCR)

World Wars

The two major global conflicts (1914-1918, 1939-1945) that shattered pre-war certainties.

Disillusionment

A loss of faith in traditional values due to the impacts of war and conflict.

Decline of Empire

The dismantling of European empires and the rise of new nations, challenging established power structures.

Totalitarianism

Political regimes that centralize power, such as fascism and communism, leading to forms of oppression.

Socialism

A political and economic theory that advocates for social ownership and the elimination of class inequalities.

Feminism

Movements that advocate for women's rights and question traditional gender roles.

Technological Advancements

Rapid progress in technology that brought both promise and anxieties about human life.

Existentialism

A philosophy questioning the meaning of life and individual existence.

Psychoanalysis

Freud's theory that emphasizes the role of the unconscious mind in shaping human behavior.

Modernism

A literary movement characterized by experimentation and a break from Victorian conventions.

Fragmentation

A narrative style that abandons linear structure in favor of disjointed timelines and perspectives.

Stream of Consciousness

A narrative mode that attempts to capture the flow of thoughts and feelings of characters.

Symbolism

The use of symbols to convey deeper meanings and evoke emotions in literature.

Psychological Realism

A literary style focusing on the complex inner lives of characters.

Theatre of the Absurd

A dramatic movement highlighting the meaninglessness and illogicality of human existence.

Intertextuality

The relationship between texts that borrow and blend elements from one another.

Self-Reflexivity

A characteristic of texts that draw attention to their own narrative and constructed nature.

Alienation

The feeling of being isolated or estranged from one's environment or society.

Trauma

The psychological scars resulting from experiences of violence or historical events.

Power and Oppression

The examination of social hierarchies and structures that perpetuate inequality.

Identity Fragmentation

The struggle individuals face in maintaining a cohesive sense of self in a complex world.