Postmodernism

Common Elements seen in POSTMODERN Literature and Media 

Irony

• Although authors have been using irony for years, it has become a hallmark of Postmodern authors, artists, and filmmakers to use irony for humour.

Parody

• Imitative work created to satirize,  comment on, or trivialize the original work.

Lack of Respect

• more than any other era, postmodern literature and media contain content that is considered blasphemous, unpatriotic or insensitive

Pastiche 

• Combined, or pasted,” elements of previous genres and styles of literature/art to create a new piece

Fast-Paced, "Schizophrenic" Imagery

• This can be seen in nonlinear timeliness that jumps forwards or backwards in time, or in cultural and historical references that do not fit.

Juxtaposition 

• Placing two unlike objects or concepts together or side by side (such as Abraham Lincoln and a Smurf)

Violent Imagery

• When working on your seminar, you may notice more violence, killing, and explosions in the modern movie versions of your topic.

More Diversity

• You may notice that remakes of the original story show more minorities and LGBTQ characters.

Humanized Villains

• Sometimes, Postmodern villains are more humanized. The audience may even be rooting for them (like Dexter).

CLICK here to see a clip about increasing violence in movies

CLICK here to see a short clip by the Media Education Foundation about advertising in movies