Postmodernism Theory 💡

Question 1

What are the 9 features of a postmodern text?

Answer 1

1. Irony
2. Parody
3. Homage
4. Bricolage
5. Intertextual References
6. Fragmented Narrartives
7. Self Reflexivity
8. Common Themes
9. Loss of Reality

Question 2

What is irony?

Answer 2

When the opposite thing to what you had expected occurs.

Question 3

What is parody?

Answer 3

When a media text or product includes references to a style / genre but they do it for comedy value / humour.

Question 4

What is homage?

Answer 4

When producers / directors include copies of things from a style / genre that they like, but they do it out of respect for that producer, almost paying tribute to them and their work.

Question 5

What is bricolage?

Answer 5

The sampling and usage of older media products in your own.
Almost like a collage, you pick and mix part of their work and incorporate it into your own.

Question 6

What are intertextual references?

Answer 6

When the producer / director make either a very subtle OR a very specific / overt reference to another media product.

Question 7

What is a fragmented narrative?

Answer 7

It’s a non linear structure, where the narrative is broken up into chunks. They may contain flashbacks, flash forwards and cross cuts.

Question 8

What is self reflexivity?

Answer 8

Where the characters (or one character) are aware that they are in a media product (e.g. talking to the camera).
Online media is filled with self reflexivity (e.g. vlogs).

Question 9

What are common themes?

Answer 9

The what ifs. The future tech. Will there be human existence?

Question 10

What is a Loss of Reality?

Answer 10

When there’s more artifice / anti-real than realism itself. It can even be surreal. There is a lack of versimilitude.

Question 11

What is versimilitude?

Answer 11

The amount of realism a product has.
Sounds similar to ‘very similar to’.

Question 12

When can you classify a product as being a postmodern product?

Answer 12

When it begins from the 80’s or 90’s. Any product before that time will not be classified as a postmodern product.

Question 13

What does Baudrillard argue? (3)

Answer 13

1. We live in a world with a loss of reality and we live with artificial reality
2. We have moved from the reality of media products and have slowly adapted to the heightened reality
3. We are so surrounded by these simulacra of media products that it becomes hard to tell apart from the reality

Question 14

What is heightened reality?

Answer 14

More intense than reality

Question 15

What is simulacrum / simulacra?

Answer 15

An artificial copy of a product with very little link to reality.

Question 16

What is hyperreality?

Answer 16

The state where we are so surrounded by simulacra that it becomes hard to distinguish artificial products from reality.

Question 17

Do audiences prefer simulacrum or real life?

Answer 17

Audiences often prefer simulacra to real life