Elements of Modernism

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The years between World War I and World War II brought about vast changes in society. During this period the ideology of Communism was born, the assembly line was invented which provided for mass production of automobiles, women gained the right to vote, the stock market crashed and Great Depression occurred. People were questioning the old school of thought and new philosophies were born. New forms of art, music and literature emerged to reflect these changes in thought called modernism. William Faulkner's novel "As I Lay Dying" displays many elements of the modernist form in literature.
Fragmentation is a prevalent element of modernism in "As I Lay Dying". The novel is written as a narrative told by several people, each presenting their perspective of the events of the story. The reader must take into account that first person point of view is not reliable and, the situation is described in more than one perspective, therefore the reader must find the truth somewhere in between. Although the story is told in small narratives by several different people, the reader can piece together what are the main ideas of the storyline, as it is written in a non-linear style that often backtracks adding to the foundation of the story. Therefore, use of fragmentation in the novel makes the reader "read between the lines" to comprehend the story. Each fragment of the novel not only adds to the plot, but also many subplots, as in "As I Lay Dying". Subplots presented in the novel include the many different agendas each member of the family has for wanting to travel to Jefferson other than burying Addie: such as Anse wanting new teeth, Dewey Dell seeking an abortion and Vardaman wants to see the toy train. The utilization of fragmenta...

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...d horse. As a consequence of writing in the modernist style, leaving questions unanswered invites the reader's participation in the story; it leaves the reader to reflect on the future of the characters involved. The presentation of unsettled issues leaves the reader to decide the resolution of the conflict presented.
The years leading up to and during the modernist period were tumultuous. Attitudes and lifestyles were changing as people sought new philosophies of life and cast off the previous ways of thinking that proved to be no longer relevant in a rapidly changing world. Authors, such as William Faulkner, used the elements of modernism to pen stories for this new era.

Works Cited

Faulkner, William, "As I Lay Dying". The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Eighth Edition. Baym, N and Levin, R. New York: W. W. Norton & Company Ltd., 2012. Print

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