Modernism

=MODERNISM=

Rooted in mid-19th century Paris, spread to all the Western world by the early 20th century

 * A trend of thought which affirms the power of human beings to make, improve, and reshape their environment, with the aid of scientific knowledge, technology and practical experimentation**

Involves:
-Rejection of the traditional

-Disruptive ways of thinking

-Embracing of all aspects of life as valid realities, including our "lower" nature and irrational impulses

-An existentialist perspective that often leads to **nihilism** (there is no God, no point to our existence) and **absurdism** (since there is no point, life must be a cosmic joke -- nothing makes sense).

Involves:
-Deviation from chronological sequence

-Concentration on increased awareness rather than upon a completed action

-Exploitation of purely verbal resources such as tone and imagery

-High degree of suggestiveness and emotional intensity achieved with minimum means

=Modernism Powerpoint:=

=Hemingway's "A Clean Well-Lighted Place": http://www.mrbauld.com/hemclean.html=