Study Notes: Contemporary Literature and Its Movements

Contemporary Literature: An Introduction

Introduction to Contemporary Literature

Resistance and Rebellion

  • This era of history is marked by resistance movements that reacted to harsh governmental systems or policies that restricted human rights.
  • Important events include:
    • 1968 Student Rebellions: Protests occurred in cities like Prague, Paris, Mexico City, and elsewhere, igniting people's movements that:
    • Protesting the Vietnam War in the U.S.
    • Advocating for the destruction of the Berlin Wall and its symbolic significance for East and West Germany and the world.
    • Fighting against apartheid policies enforcing segregation in South Africa.
    • Rebelling against communist rule in the People's Republic of China, culminating in the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

Globalization, Migration, and Cultural Hybridity

  • Post-World War II has been an era characterized by globalization in investment, knowledge, politics, and culture.
  • Political upheavals led to millions of refugees and entrenched conflicts.
  • The world is increasingly interconnected and faced with:
    • Increased migration and the dialogue (and often conflict) surrounding cultural hybridity.

Epidemics

  • AIDS Epidemic:
    • New epidemics, particularly AIDS, devastated populations in the West, especially in Africa.
    • Initially, the disease primarily affected gay communities in Europe and North America.
    • The impact on these communities led to more militant activism, building on anti-discrimination efforts from the Stonewall uprising and other global movements.
    • According to UNAIDS, in 2016 approximately 37 million people were living with HIV. The goal is to end the epidemic by 2030 through education and prevention methods.

Gay Rights around the World

  • The Stonewall riots of June 1969 in New York City marked a watershed moment in the global gay rights movement.
  • The gay rights movement has led to the introduction of same-sex marriage legislation in various countries around the world.
  • Despite gains, many homosexual authors still face persecution or danger in various parts of the world.

Feminisms and Feminist Activism

  • Feminist activism and thought have significantly impacted the twentieth century, resulting in:
    • Gains in women's suffrage, workplace rights, and reproductive freedoms.
    • Feminists highlighted issues of gender inequity in laws, households, and education.
    • The introduction of intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in the 1980s, brought attention to the intersections of gender, race, and class oppression.
    • Current feminist practices address the rigid gender norms affecting all individuals, particularly the transgender community.
  • The Women’s March in 2017 symbolizes contemporary feminist resistance to oppression.

Contemporary Literature and Postmodernism

Historical Overview

  • World War II (1939 - 1945):
    • Began when Britain and France declared war on Germany after the invasion of Poland by Hitler’s armies.
    • The U.S. entered the war on December 7, 1941, after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Casualties and Impact

  • The attack on Pearl Harbor resulted in over 2,395 American deaths and the destruction/damage of 21 ships and 323 aircraft.
  • Prior to this point, the U.S. had maintained a neutral stance but provided financial support to countries fighting Germany, Italy, and Japan.

U.S. Response: The Atomic Bomb

  • The atomic bomb was dropped on Japan to bring an end to WWII.
  • The devastating effects obliterated the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima from the U.S. airplane Enola Gay.

Symbolism of Change

  • The mushroom cloud from the bomb represents the triumph of science and technology, whose ironic purpose was to enhance life.
  • Although some Americans opposed the use of atomic weapons, many supported the war's purpose—to fight tyranny and protect the American way of life.

The Cold War

  • Timeline: 1945 - 1991
    • The ideological battle between Capitalism and Communism defined this era.
    • The Soviet Union developed nuclear weapons, leading to conflicts with the U.S.

Cuban Missile Crisis

  • 1962: The Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba aimed at the U.S.
  • The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 resulted in a new Russian republic with aspirations for democracy, but the threat of nuclear violence remained.

The Digital Revolution and Economic Prosperity

Introduction of Computers

  • The 1950s and 60s saw the introduction of mainframe computers transforming businesses and governments.
  • Electronic storage and retrieval of data became increasingly efficient.
  • In the 80s and 90s, personal computers became prevalent in schools, offices, and homes.

Cultural Shifts and Economic Changes

  • The 1980s were marked by a “me generation”—an era emphasizing individual enjoyment over collective concern.
  • The late 90s witnessed the emergence of internet communication and wireless technology, which contributed to a significant surge in the stock market.
  • The attacks on September 11, 2001, significantly impacted the economy following the previous growth period.

Effects of Science & Technology

  • Positive Impacts:
    • Increased life spans.
    • Better living conditions for many populations.
    • Enhanced transportation.
    • Space exploration advancements (e.g., moon missions).
  • Negative Impacts:
    • Job obsolescence due to technology.
    • Erosion of privacy and anonymity in consumer culture.
    • Influence of mass advertising, journalism, and entertainment shaping American dreams.

Overall Literary Response

  • Many writers view the chaos of the war-torn world as an inevitable aspect of modern existence, with the most fitting response being hard-edged laughter at life’s ironies.
  • Gallows humor: A form of ironic humor that acknowledges the absurd or grotesque, prevalent among writers following WWII.

Contemporary Fiction

Defining Characteristics

  • Characterized by diversity and vitality.
  • Postmodernism: A framework that describes contemporary American culture as evolving from modernism. Postmodern literature incorporates tools from modernists but produces a distinctly different body of work.

Features of Postmodernism

  • Postmodern works allow for multiple interpretations and worldviews, including realistic, literal, past, and dreamlike facets.
  • Narrators and characters may present various versions of a story, challenging readers with questions about meaning and truth.
  • Authors frequently disregard traditional narrative rules, embracing unconventional forms and self-referentiality.
  • Blending of Genres: A hallmark of postmodern literature is the fusion of fiction and nonfiction.
  • The usage of history to rejuvenate classic narratives defines a significant aspect of this genre.

Contemporary Nonfiction

Breaking Barriers

  • Nonfiction has evolved from simply being the antithesis of fiction; it now explores artistic endeavors in literature.
  • Criticism has shifted focus towards the art of nonfiction writing, recognizing the value of memoirs, biographies, and other forms.

Contemporary Perspectives on Nonfiction

  • Two prevailing ideas include the nature of accuracy—traditional literary terms may not apply to nonfiction, raising questions about truth.
    • For example, a travel memoir may be deemed fictional if the author relied on library research rather than actual travel.
  • New Journalism: Emerging in the 60s, this form blends journalistic practices with literary techniques (e.g., characterization, plot, and symbolism), with journalists incorporating personal opinions and presence into narratives.

Contemporary Poetry

Individuality and Diversity

  • Contemporary poetry reflects a departure from modernist conventions. It emphasizes diverse styles and is influenced by personal experience and societal issues.
    • The decline of modernism led to a generation seeking meaning amidst societal conformity and materialism.
    • Prominent movements include Projective Verse, led by Black Mountain Poets, which embraces individuality and spontaneity in poetic forms.

Today’s Poetry Characteristics

  • Emphasizes performance and accessibility through technology.
  • Often mirrors colloquial speech, adopting shocking and personal themes to engage audiences deeply.

What is Contemporary Literature?

  • Generally, literature created after World War II, characterized by its relativity, reactionary nature, irony, and a questioning of established facts.

Contemporary Concerns

  • Issues addressed include:
    • Economic colonization,
    • Global warming,
    • Neo-imperialism,
    • Trans-border terrorism,
    • Poverty and squalor,
    • LGBT, racial and communal problems,
    • Crime and corruption.

Economic Colonization

  • Refers to the policies and practices of powerful nations extending influence into less developed nations, often exploiting resources.

Global Warming

  • Defined as the long-term increase in Earth’s surface temperature due to human activities, primarily due to fossil fuel combustion, which elevates greenhouse gas levels.

Neo-imperialism

  • Defined as dominance primarily through legal agreements, economic muscle, and cultural influence rather than direct conquest. It reflects a shift from traditional colonialism to contemporary forms that maintain economic control.

Trans-border Terrorism

  • Refers to the infiltration of armed terrorists into India from western borders, impacting national security concerns and prompting defensive actions including armed responses.

Poverty, Filth, and Squalor

  • Squalor is defined as the state of being extremely dirty and unpleasant, often as a result of poverty or neglect.

Themes & Concerns of Contemporary Literature

  • Key themes include:
    • Secularity and Godlessness,
    • Meaninglessness of life,
    • Human diversity, emotional complexity,
    • Perspectives on ‘the other’, and
    • Various ‘isms’ (e.g., Orientalism, Womanism).

Styles and Structures in Contemporary Literature

Genres and Styles

  • Includes a variety of forms, such as narrative fiction/nonfiction, autobiographical essays, storytelling, essays, and antiheroes.
  • Major themes often delve into misery, depression, and societal customs, reflecting an interconnectedness among individuals and media culture's impact on values.

Movements in Contemporary Literature and Media

  • Important movements include:
    • Beat Generation,
    • Black Mountain Poets,
    • Confessional Poetry,
    • The New York School,
    • The British Poetry Revival,
    • The New Wave,
    • Language Poets.

Beat Generation

  • An American social and literary movement from the 1950s, focused on artistic experimentation and personal release through various means, including drugs and Zen Buddhism, as a rebellion against societal norms.

Black Mountain Poets

  • A group of poets associated with Black Mountain College, emphasizing innovative verse and the creative process, diverging from traditional poetry forms.

New Wave

  • A music genre from the late 1970s to early 1980s characterized by a commercially viable style that contrasted with punk.

Confessional Poetry

  • Focused on personal experiences, trauma, and psychological themes, often exploring societal issues through intimate lenses.

The New York School

  • An innovative and experimental group of poets critical of establishment and academic traditions.

Language Poets

  • A school of thought that emerged in the late 1960s, emphasizing language itself and how it constructs meaning and reality in literature through avant-garde techniques.

Cyberpunk

  • A subgenre of science fiction denoting a future dominated by high technology and countercultural antiheroes, conceptualized using a blend of cybernetics and punk ideology.

Maximalism

  • Characterized by elaboration, excess, and complexity in narrative style common to postmodern literature.

New Formalism

  • A poetic movement prioritizing meter, rhyme, and storytelling set against free verse's predominant tradition.

Characteristics of Contemporary Fiction

  • Works are defined by believable characters, real-life settings, and conversational tones.
  • Themes reflect struggles between individual identity and societal dehumanization, moral dilemmas, and the renewal of human spirit.

Contemporary Poetry Themes

  • Explore conventional and avant-garde styles, addressing universal human experiences like love, death, and family.

Contemporary American Literature

  • Can embody postmodern elements including metafiction and the absurd, reflecting cultural shifts across various themes.

Notable Contemporary Writers

  • Include Thomas Pynchon, Toni Morrison, Cormac McCarthy, Don DeLillo, David Foster Wallace, Jonathan Franzen, and Michael Chabon among others.

Minority Literatures

  • Diverse voices like African American, Jewish American, Asian American, and others contribute to the multifaceted American literary landscape.

Postmodern Literary Elements

  • Characterized by minimalism, flash fiction, metafiction, paranoia, technoculture, magic realism, temporality distortions, historiographic metafiction, poioumena, fabulation, pastiche, and intertextuality.

Intertextuality

  • Defined as the relationship between texts where one work refers to or is influenced by another, either deliberately or inadvertently. It explores how literature informs and shapes cultural understandings.

Examples of Intertextuality

  • Notable instances include:
    1. Disney’s The Lion King parallels Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
    2. James Joyce’s Ulysses reflects the structure of Homer’s Odyssey.
    3. Harry Potter series draws on various literary traditions and themes.
    4. A Thousand Acres as a retelling of King Lear.
    5. Wide Sargasso Sea provides an alternate narrative to Jane Eyre.

Philippine Literature

The Contemporary Period

The Rebirth of Freedom (1946-1970)
  • In 1945, Filipinos celebrated freedom when the American forces liberated the nation. July 4, 1946, marked the official return of autonomy for the Philippines.
The State of Literature During This Period
  • This early exploration of independence led to a vital literary output reflective of national identity and struggles.
Key Works:
  1. Heart of the Islands (1947) by Manuel Viray
  2. Philippines Cross Section (1950) by Maximo Ramos and Florentino Valeros
  3. Prose and Poems (1952) by Nick Joaquin
  4. Philippine Writing (1953) by T.D. Agcaoili
  5. Philippine Harvest by Amador Daguio
  6. Horizons Least (1967) reflecting works from university professors predominantly in English.
  7. Who Spoke of Courage in His Sleep by NVM Gonzales
  8. Speak Not, Speak Also by Conrado V. Pedroche
  9. Poets like Toribia Maño and Edith L. Tiempo also gained recognition during this period.
The New Filipino Literature During This Period
  • Tagalog literature flourished, addressing themes related to the experiences during Japanese occupation.

Period of Activism (1970-1972)

  • Young activists emerged, driven by nationalism and a desire for change in government, reflected in the writings of the time.
Writing During the Period of Activism
  • Literature at this time was characterized by critique of social injustice, and the emergence of provocative content through Bomba films.

Palanca Awardees for Literature in English

  • Established in 1950, these awards have encouraged Filipino writers in various creative sectors, including short story writing and poetry.

Filipino Poetry During the New Society

  • Dominated by themes of patience and cultural appreciation, highlighting nature's beauty.

Radio and Television

  • Radio continued to be popular, with various play series offering entertainment during the New Society period.

Filipino Films

Notable Films During This Time:
  1. Maynila…Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag directed by Lino Brocka
  2. Minsay Isang Gamu-gamo featuring Nora Aunor
  3. Ganito Kami Noon…Paano Kayo Ngayon? featuring Gloria Diaz
  4. Insiang, led by Hilda Koronel
  5. Aguila, featuring prominent actors.

Comics, Magazines, and Other Publications

  • Newspapers evolved to focus on economic progress rather than sensationalist narratives.

Overview of Literature During the New Society

  • Bilingual education initiated early on impacted English usage across educational institutions, emphasizing national identity.

Period of the Third Republic (1981-1985)

  • After martial rule, literature became increasingly romantic and critical.
Filipino Poetry
  • Highlighted themes of revolutionary spirit with bold critiques against the government.

Philippine Films During This Period

  • Continued the tradition of the annual Festival of Filipino Films and maintained public interest in various genres.

Filipino Songs

  • Reflective of real-life issues such as poverty, aspirations for freedom, and deep emotional connections.

Periods (1986-1999)

  • Designated as a historical turn during which the Philippine populace regained their independence through the People Power Revolution in February 1986, focusing on social change.

On Books

  • The events of the 1986 revolution are still chronicled as part of Filipino history, emphasizing the spirit of participation in society's transformation.