Postmodernist Features in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Drama, Anthologies
Cover of the book Postmodernist Features in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man by Nina Dietrich, GRIN Verlag
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Nina Dietrich ISBN: 9783638239868
Publisher: GRIN Verlag Publication: December 17, 2003
Imprint: GRIN Verlag Language: English
Author: Nina Dietrich
ISBN: 9783638239868
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Publication: December 17, 2003
Imprint: GRIN Verlag
Language: English

Essay from the year 2003 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1.0, University of Kent (School of English), course: American Modernisms, 16 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: In an attempt to place Ralph Waldo Ellison's novel Invisible Man within a Modernist framework, Berndt Ostendorf writes, 'Ellison ... is a 'Spätling,' a latecomer to Modernism. ... Ellison's Modernism ... is not one of crisis and despair, but of innovation and hope. He accepts the discipline implied in [Ezra Pound's] slogan 'make it new,' but rejects the cultural pessimism of his ancestors.'1 Although Ostendorf's description is right insofar that Ellison's work is optimistic in its outcome rather than as pessimistic as the majority of modernist novels, it does not seem to be in agreement with the term Modernism in general. Isn't modernist literature usually called a 'literature of ... crisis'?2 Isn't Modernism said to feature 'elements of cultural apocalypse' rather than the hope Ostendorf mentions?3 And: Doesn't Ostendorf's statement resemble a definition of Postmodernism rather than Modernism? In fact, Ellison's novel is hard to categorize. Critics agree that Invisible Man includes characteristics of different literary periods. Malcolm Bradbury, for instance, says the novel mixes 'naturalism, expressionism, and surrealism' and thereby places it somewhere between Modernism and Postmodernism.4 As these two terms are problematic as far as their definitions are concerned, this essay will begin by naming some of the key characteristics of both periods. Later on, the essay will point out a number of typically postmodern features that Ellison integrates into Invisible Man and give examples from the novel itself. Eventually, the essay will discuss whether Invisible Man should be considered a modernist or postmodernist novel. 1 Berndt Ostendorf, 'Anthropology, Modernism, and Jazz', in Harold Bloom, Ralph Ellison, Chelsea House Publishers, 1986, pp. 161 - 164 2 Peter Childs, Modernism, Routledge, 2000, p.14 3 Malcolm Bradbury in A Dictionary of Modern Critical Terms, ed. Roger Fowler, as quotes in Childs, Op. Cit., p. 2 4 Malcolm Bradbury, The Modern American Novel, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 1992, p. 166

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Essay from the year 2003 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1.0, University of Kent (School of English), course: American Modernisms, 16 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: In an attempt to place Ralph Waldo Ellison's novel Invisible Man within a Modernist framework, Berndt Ostendorf writes, 'Ellison ... is a 'Spätling,' a latecomer to Modernism. ... Ellison's Modernism ... is not one of crisis and despair, but of innovation and hope. He accepts the discipline implied in [Ezra Pound's] slogan 'make it new,' but rejects the cultural pessimism of his ancestors.'1 Although Ostendorf's description is right insofar that Ellison's work is optimistic in its outcome rather than as pessimistic as the majority of modernist novels, it does not seem to be in agreement with the term Modernism in general. Isn't modernist literature usually called a 'literature of ... crisis'?2 Isn't Modernism said to feature 'elements of cultural apocalypse' rather than the hope Ostendorf mentions?3 And: Doesn't Ostendorf's statement resemble a definition of Postmodernism rather than Modernism? In fact, Ellison's novel is hard to categorize. Critics agree that Invisible Man includes characteristics of different literary periods. Malcolm Bradbury, for instance, says the novel mixes 'naturalism, expressionism, and surrealism' and thereby places it somewhere between Modernism and Postmodernism.4 As these two terms are problematic as far as their definitions are concerned, this essay will begin by naming some of the key characteristics of both periods. Later on, the essay will point out a number of typically postmodern features that Ellison integrates into Invisible Man and give examples from the novel itself. Eventually, the essay will discuss whether Invisible Man should be considered a modernist or postmodernist novel. 1 Berndt Ostendorf, 'Anthropology, Modernism, and Jazz', in Harold Bloom, Ralph Ellison, Chelsea House Publishers, 1986, pp. 161 - 164 2 Peter Childs, Modernism, Routledge, 2000, p.14 3 Malcolm Bradbury in A Dictionary of Modern Critical Terms, ed. Roger Fowler, as quotes in Childs, Op. Cit., p. 2 4 Malcolm Bradbury, The Modern American Novel, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 1992, p. 166

More books from GRIN Verlag

Cover of the book The Status of the Individual in International Law and the Age of Globalization by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book Schweden - Großunternehmerland by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book Speaking English Made Easy by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book Cinema of Mediocrity - The Representation of 1920s Mass Culture in King Vidor's The Crowd by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book Selbstgesteuertes Lernen. Aktuelle Konzepte und Entwicklungen by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book Gewaltentwicklung im Fernsehen und die Wirkung der Gewalt auf unsere Jugend by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book Soziale Sicherheit und sozialer Wandel - der konservative Wohlfahrtsstaat im Vergleich by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book Investitionspolitische Analyse der Versorgungsdichte mit Krankenhausbetten by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book Methoden zur Bewertung von Kundenbeziehungen im CRM by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book Tsunamis. Ursachen, Auswirkungen und Vorsorgemaßnahmen by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book 'Gott', 'Welt' und 'Mensch' im 21. Jahrhundert II by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book Neuerungen in der europäischen Fusionskontrollverordnung Nr. 139 / 2004, insbesondere der SIEC-Test by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book Business Intelligence vs. Self Service Business Intelligence by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book Ehrenamtliches/bürgerschaftliches Engagement von SeniorInnen aufgrund von oder durch Bildung by Nina Dietrich
Cover of the book Die deutsche Ostpolitik und die KSZE als Bedingung der deutschen Einheit by Nina Dietrich
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy