Postmodernism Terms

Question 1

Intertextuality

Answer 1

When you heavily apply/ allude to past literature in your piece of literature. (ex.: Joyce’s Ulysses, Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea)

Question 2

Pastiche

Answer 2

When you use ideas from past literary works and genres and use them to form a brand new kind of style (ex.: Cowboys vs. Aliens)

Question 3

Metafiction

Answer 3

A work of fiction that brings attention to its own artificial or illusory nature, i.e. “breaking through the fourth wall” (ex.: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)

Question 4

Temporal Distortion

Answer 4

When the author offers events out of chronological order

Question 5

Minimalism

Answer 5

When the work contains common events and characters, i.e. nothing out of the ordinary (rigorously mundane)

Question 6

Maximalism

Answer 6

When the prose is redundant, long, and drawn out

Question 7

Magical Realism

Answer 7

Brings magical, fictional aspects into a non-fiction setting

Question 8

Faction

Answer 8

When the author combines fictional and non-fictional events in the work, but doesn’t make a defined line between which events are real and which are not (ex.: The Plot Against America– Lindberg beats FDR in ‘40 Election!)

Question 9

High/ Low Art

Answer 9

A combination of avante-garde and popular culture (ex.: “Wreck-It-Ralph’s rich philosophical ideas combined with cartoonish/ slapstick humor)