American Literature - Essay Example

American Literature Introduction In my view, modernism is not different from postmodernism and it is a continuance and intensification of modernism since individuals want more emancipation from all traditional norms and customs associated with the mass culture. Literature critics have disagreed on the exact place and time to end the modernism and begin postmodernism (Hogue 67). Kate Chopin’s ‘Awakening’ demonstrates the desire for both economic freedom and sexual freedom for women thus demonstrating how women desire liberation and self-reliance in the current society.

Chopin asserts that women are no longer willing to accept the traditional prejudices about their sexuality as they desire more equality in the economy (Chopin 34). Modernism outlines that virtues such as submissiveness to the mass culture and piety hinders equality and individuality while postmodernism outlines that an equal society entails both self-reliance and right to self-determination in economic, political, cultural and sexual issues in the society (McKay 14). Modernism writers such as Stephen Crane conquer with postmodernism writers that radical changes in the society should ensure the rights of women as individuals (Crane 78).

Sandra Cisneros’s ‘Woman Hollering Creek’ highlights the issues of struggling women and other minority groups such as immigrants. The writer also articulates the desire to reject the traditional sex roles and protect women from domestic violence. According to the writer, the best option of women to attain freedom from all barriers is to overcome fear and the slaughter at the end of the story signifies that women equality is inevitable (Cisneros 6). Claude McKay’s ‘Harlem Shadows’ highlights the social struggles that Black Americans have undergone in order to gain meaningful employment opportunities.

Langston Hughes agrees with other modernist writers that black people need self-appreciation and self-identity in order to challenges the social and class prejudices that hinder the progress in the society (Hart 63). Individuality and self-reliance is a concept of modernity and postmodernism aims at demonstrating how African American, Asian American and Native American cultures are capable of existing without any conflicts (Hughes 23). According to postmodernism, women are expected to attain self-consciousness and individuality before attaining other rights such as voting rights.

Although modernism highlights the national values such as freedom of expression, liberty and democracy, postmodernism goes further to exert cultural pluralism through propagating virtues of tolerance and human rights in order to ensure virtues such as liberty and democracy (Hughes 23). Postmodernism is a continuity of modernism since traditional family structure has experienced radical changes due to the increase in women participation in formal employment and erosion of the ancient cultural values.

For instance, postmodernism has witnessed alternative family structures such as single-parent families and cohabitation due to changes in the cultural values. Accordingly, modernism writers have focused on the need to eradicate the high social hierarchies and decentralize the control in order to entrench individualistic virtues. Postmodernism has highlighted the identity politics and institutional power struggles that disrupt the mass culture dominance in the society (Hart 157). Conclusion There is no clear distinction between modernism and postmodernism since there is intensification of modernism themes in postmodernism literature.

Modernism outlines the social struggles of ethnic groups while postmodernism demonstrates how women desire to attain self-individuality and determine their sexual. Modernism literature concentrates on identity while postmodernism goes further to incorporate new perspectives such as gay rights. Works Cited:Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. New York: H.S Stone and Company. 1899.Crane, Stephen. ‘Do not Weep, Maiden, for the War is Kind’. 1899. Hart, James. The Oxford Companion to American Literature.

Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1995.Hart, James. The Oxford Companion to American Literature. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1995.Hogue, Laurence. Race, Modernity, Postmodernity: A Look at the History and the Literatures of People of Color since the 1960s. New York: SUNY Press. Hughes, Langston. The Negro Speaks of Rivers. New York: Hyperion Books. 2009.McKays, Claude. ‘Harlem Shadows’. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 7th February 2015. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173959. Sandra, Cisneros.

‘Woman Hollering Creek’