In a theoretical essay by the Guardian, it’s easy to track the end of literature to our own particular moment. But I’d argue that’s just the tail-end of a postmodern reaction against reacting. But that’s not what this post is about.
Instead I’d like to discuss the future of classic literature based on what exists right now. Most “literary fiction” falls into three camps: the apocalyptic Orwellian future world of the author; the memoiristic travails of growing up in a world that doesn’t understand; and the individual’s plight with relation to other characters, usually told in the third person. These three subgenres are not new, nor is the way they’re told. These tendencies, however, such as more memoirs than ever before being published, say something about the way we value experience in our Internet age. For us, everyone has a voice. It’s all about whose voice is most interesting and unique–whose stories are the best? Look at the rise of the blog. The style, often digressive and intimate, continues to define what and how we read. Trends seem so sloppy because we’re still living them; our century is just entering its adolescent years. It’s hard to gain a perspective on humanity in our time to show how it affects literature in particular. What it takes is literature that is truly original to show us how far we have come since the beginning of the end.
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AuthorFelix Carpenter is a founder of this blog and book reviewer. Felix lives in Los Angeles with his dog Greggy. Despite his hectic schedule, he still finds time to wite book reviews for Edusson writing service. ArchivesCategories |