The Main Characteristic Features of Postmodernism Period in Literature
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This article explores the emergence and development of postmodernism in literature, a movement that arose in the mid-20th century as a reaction to modernism. It highlights postmodernism’s rejection of absolute truth, its embrace of fragmented narratives, and its challenge to the boundaries between high and low culture.
The study applies literary and theoretical analysis to examine the key stylistic and philosophical features of postmodern literature. Prominent works by major British and global authors are analyzed to identify common themes and narrative strategies characteristic of the postmodern period.
The findings reveal that postmodern literature is marked by fragmentation, metafiction, intertextuality, unreliable narrators, paradox, and a focus on the instability of meaning. Authors such as J.G. Ballard, Salman Rushdie, and Zadie Smith exemplify these features in their writings, often blending cultural identities and questioning traditional narratives of truth and representation.
The article concludes that postmodernism redefined the relationship between author, text, and reader by blurring traditional literary boundaries. It introduced a more pluralistic, self-reflective, and critically engaged approach to storytelling, reflecting broader socio-political shifts and intellectual skepticism toward grand ideologies and rigid cultural hierarchies.
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