Postmodernism: The Punk Approach to Literature
“Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’, into the future”
-Fly Like an Eagle, Steve Millers Band
Postmodernism, like the other literary and cultural movements, was created in an attempt for artists and philosophers to make sense of the world they lived in. Most people agree that the style entered literature shortly after World War II, though there is not a specific date or year when it is said to have first appeared. While modernism searched to break away from tradition, and naturalism delved into emotion over reason, postmodernism strives to prove that no finite terms or truth, and the human experience is unique for each individual (Duignan). Many pieces of literature and art have begun to reflect aspects of the movement in order to present ideas in a new unique way. Written in 2010 by author Jennifer Egan, A Visit From the Goon Squad employs several postmodern tactics in order to drive home themes about experience and time. The messages of the book work well in a postmodern setting and give the book a very contemporary background. Egan's novel displays characteristics of postmodernist literature by following unconventional methods of storytelling, including jumps in chronology and narratives, which allows the author to more easily examine the truths of human identity, perception, and experience.
Postmodernism is a contemporary literary style that fits perfectly into today’s society. With the recent advances in technology that connect and inform in a way never seen before, the world is a much more complicated place that escapes the confines of old answers. We have tested the limits of science and philosophy more than ever, and the results are no longer black and white. The lines between good and bad, right and wrong, known and unknown, are becoming blurred, and we are stretching definitions past their bounds. In such a world, it necessary to be able to explain the happenings and truths without creating strict terms and boundaries, and thus postmodernism is necessary. It is both the acceptance and denial of all “truths” in the world. Postmodernism is able to capture the world we live in without forcing a meaning upon it or labelling it in “correct terms”. In art, the meaning is no longer assigned by the artist, but by the audience. In literature, such as A Visit From the Goon Squad, words have quite little meaning, similar to the mindset of modernist literature, and the writing is allowed to stray from the conventional bounds of structure and style. The fact that the novel is a work of fiction hardly matters because postmodernism allows Egan to blur the lines between fantasy and reality and instead lets the reader make it their own.
The writing styles that Egan uses in the novel are full of postmodern features. One strong characteristic of postmodernism is the lack of specificity in terms of the genre of a piece. This is clearly exhibited in A Visit From the Goon Squad. Along with the shifting of narratives, we also experience a shifting in genre, tone, and style, which not only shows the contrast between characters but also alters the meaning from chapter to chapter. Because this novel cannot be tied down to one genre in particular, it radiates the “definition” of postmodernism in that no term is definite, and therefore, neither is any piece of art or literature. Though the book is continuously shifting from first, second, and third person narratives, the the one chapter that stands out the most in the book is much stranger than a different point of view. Chapter 12, Great Rock and Roll Pauses, is told from the eyes of Allison, Sasha’s daughter, but her story is communicated as if a Powerpoint Presentation (Egan). Incorporating technology in such a way points out how rapidly the world changes as time passes, something that is often acknowledged in the novel. Many characters speak about how the times have changed, but nothing so obviously capture the advancement of technology as an entire chapter written through a computer program.
The application of the postmodern style assists Egan in communicating her themes more clearly to the audience. Many of the characters are part of the punk culture, which thrives of straying from the mainstream and being aggressively modern; this is a culture that thrives on postmodernism. Because postmodernism is a contemporary concept, by employing in this novel, Egan is able to more closely analyze time and change, which are both major themes in the book. Postmodernism allows for jumps in chronology, story, and style, which are all incredibly important for her to tell the story as she sees fit. The lack of chronology in this novel undoubtedly adds to its postmodernist nature. By not sticking to the conventional story-telling framework, Egan’s work stands out in audience’s minds. She is able to jump from character to character, and lets her story progress based on theme development, rather than linearly through time. Time is heavily stressed in A Visit From the Goon Squad, but she almost disregards it in storytelling, presenting it in an abstract quality rather than a controlling force. Time is not an easy concept to grasp, whether viewed from philosophical standpoint, or a scientific one. Many believe it exists outside of our realm of concept, others believe it doesn’t exist at all. This idea of time fits perfectly into a postmodern world, where things are meant to be left undefined and unknown.
A Visit From the Goon Squad is a modern book, written for a modern audience. It breaks boundaries, twists time, and allows abstractions to exist comfortably in a world yearning to find concrete truths. Because of the complex nature of the themes presented in the text, Egan uses postmodern strategies to convey the story effectively to her audience. Each chapter contains a new story, each one bringing something new to the table, and though the chapters all have connections and must be read as a novel, they must also be understood as separate entities, something which couldn’t be conveyed to the audience with employing the use of shifting styles, narratives, and time periods, all which are signs of postmodern writing. Postmodernism allows the novel to stray from conventional paths and structures, crafting a story that lies in its own world, with its own truths and values.
Works Cited
Duignan, Brian. “Postmodernism.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 21 May 2015.
Egan, Jennifer. A Visit From the Goon Squad. New York: Random House Publisher, 2010. Print.
Neary, Lynn. “Jennifer Egan Does Avant-Garde Fiction--Old School.” NPR Books. National Public Radio, 25 July, 2010. Broadcast. 15 May 2015.
“Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’, into the future”
-Fly Like an Eagle, Steve Millers Band
Postmodernism, like the other literary and cultural movements, was created in an attempt for artists and philosophers to make sense of the world they lived in. Most people agree that the style entered literature shortly after World War II, though there is not a specific date or year when it is said to have first appeared. While modernism searched to break away from tradition, and naturalism delved into emotion over reason, postmodernism strives to prove that no finite terms or truth, and the human experience is unique for each individual (Duignan). Many pieces of literature and art have begun to reflect aspects of the movement in order to present ideas in a new unique way. Written in 2010 by author Jennifer Egan, A Visit From the Goon Squad employs several postmodern tactics in order to drive home themes about experience and time. The messages of the book work well in a postmodern setting and give the book a very contemporary background. Egan's novel displays characteristics of postmodernist literature by following unconventional methods of storytelling, including jumps in chronology and narratives, which allows the author to more easily examine the truths of human identity, perception, and experience.
Postmodernism is a contemporary literary style that fits perfectly into today’s society. With the recent advances in technology that connect and inform in a way never seen before, the world is a much more complicated place that escapes the confines of old answers. We have tested the limits of science and philosophy more than ever, and the results are no longer black and white. The lines between good and bad, right and wrong, known and unknown, are becoming blurred, and we are stretching definitions past their bounds. In such a world, it necessary to be able to explain the happenings and truths without creating strict terms and boundaries, and thus postmodernism is necessary. It is both the acceptance and denial of all “truths” in the world. Postmodernism is able to capture the world we live in without forcing a meaning upon it or labelling it in “correct terms”. In art, the meaning is no longer assigned by the artist, but by the audience. In literature, such as A Visit From the Goon Squad, words have quite little meaning, similar to the mindset of modernist literature, and the writing is allowed to stray from the conventional bounds of structure and style. The fact that the novel is a work of fiction hardly matters because postmodernism allows Egan to blur the lines between fantasy and reality and instead lets the reader make it their own.
The writing styles that Egan uses in the novel are full of postmodern features. One strong characteristic of postmodernism is the lack of specificity in terms of the genre of a piece. This is clearly exhibited in A Visit From the Goon Squad. Along with the shifting of narratives, we also experience a shifting in genre, tone, and style, which not only shows the contrast between characters but also alters the meaning from chapter to chapter. Because this novel cannot be tied down to one genre in particular, it radiates the “definition” of postmodernism in that no term is definite, and therefore, neither is any piece of art or literature. Though the book is continuously shifting from first, second, and third person narratives, the the one chapter that stands out the most in the book is much stranger than a different point of view. Chapter 12, Great Rock and Roll Pauses, is told from the eyes of Allison, Sasha’s daughter, but her story is communicated as if a Powerpoint Presentation (Egan). Incorporating technology in such a way points out how rapidly the world changes as time passes, something that is often acknowledged in the novel. Many characters speak about how the times have changed, but nothing so obviously capture the advancement of technology as an entire chapter written through a computer program.
The application of the postmodern style assists Egan in communicating her themes more clearly to the audience. Many of the characters are part of the punk culture, which thrives of straying from the mainstream and being aggressively modern; this is a culture that thrives on postmodernism. Because postmodernism is a contemporary concept, by employing in this novel, Egan is able to more closely analyze time and change, which are both major themes in the book. Postmodernism allows for jumps in chronology, story, and style, which are all incredibly important for her to tell the story as she sees fit. The lack of chronology in this novel undoubtedly adds to its postmodernist nature. By not sticking to the conventional story-telling framework, Egan’s work stands out in audience’s minds. She is able to jump from character to character, and lets her story progress based on theme development, rather than linearly through time. Time is heavily stressed in A Visit From the Goon Squad, but she almost disregards it in storytelling, presenting it in an abstract quality rather than a controlling force. Time is not an easy concept to grasp, whether viewed from philosophical standpoint, or a scientific one. Many believe it exists outside of our realm of concept, others believe it doesn’t exist at all. This idea of time fits perfectly into a postmodern world, where things are meant to be left undefined and unknown.
A Visit From the Goon Squad is a modern book, written for a modern audience. It breaks boundaries, twists time, and allows abstractions to exist comfortably in a world yearning to find concrete truths. Because of the complex nature of the themes presented in the text, Egan uses postmodern strategies to convey the story effectively to her audience. Each chapter contains a new story, each one bringing something new to the table, and though the chapters all have connections and must be read as a novel, they must also be understood as separate entities, something which couldn’t be conveyed to the audience with employing the use of shifting styles, narratives, and time periods, all which are signs of postmodern writing. Postmodernism allows the novel to stray from conventional paths and structures, crafting a story that lies in its own world, with its own truths and values.
Works Cited
Duignan, Brian. “Postmodernism.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 21 May 2015.
Egan, Jennifer. A Visit From the Goon Squad. New York: Random House Publisher, 2010. Print.
Neary, Lynn. “Jennifer Egan Does Avant-Garde Fiction--Old School.” NPR Books. National Public Radio, 25 July, 2010. Broadcast. 15 May 2015.