The Postmodern Short Story : Forms and Issues

Farhat Iftekharrudin

ISBN 10: 0313323755 / ISBN 13: 9780313323751

Published by Praeger, 2003

About this Item

nach der Bestellung gedruckt Neuware - Printed after ordering - Short stories are usually defined in terms of characteristics of modernism, in which the story begins in the middle, develops according to a truncated plot, and ends with an epiphany. This approach tends to ignore postmodernism, a movement often characterized by a negation of objective reality where plots are seemingly abandoned, surfaces are extraordinary, and symbols turn inward on themselves. This book examines postmodern forms and characteristic themes by analyzing a group of short stories that make use of postmodern narrative strategies, including nonfictional fiction, gender profiling, and death as an image.The volume begins with a discussion of the blurred lines between fiction and nonfiction in the short story and imaginative personal essay. It then looks at the role of women in works by such authors as Sandra Cisneros, Leslie Marmon Silko, Joyce Carol Oates, and Lorrie Moore. This is followed by a section of chapters on postmodern masculinity and short fiction. The next section focuses on death as an image and theme in works by Richard Ford, Richard Brautigan, and James Joyce. The final set of chapters considers postmodern short fiction from South Africa and Canada.

Seller Inventory # 9780313323751

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Postmodern Short Story : Forms and Issues
• Publisher: Praeger
• Publication Date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0313323755
• ISBN 13: 9780313323751
• Binding: Buch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 240W x 161H x 20D millimeters 240 millimeters width by 161 millimeters height by 20 millimeters depth
• Weight: 608 grams

About this title

Synopsis

Short stories are usually defined in terms of characteristics of modernism, in which the story begins in the middle, develops according to a truncated plot, and ends with an epiphany. This approach tends to ignore postmodernism, a movement often characterized by a negation of objective reality where plots are seemingly abandoned, surfaces are extraordinary, and symbols turn inward on themselves. This book examines postmodern forms and characteristic themes by analyzing a group of short stories that make use of postmodern narrative strategies, including nonfictional fiction, gender profiling, and death as an image.

The volume begins with a discussion of the blurred lines between fiction and nonfiction in the short story and imaginative personal essay. It then looks at the role of women in works by such authors as Sandra Cisneros, Leslie Marmon Silko, Joyce Carol Oates, and Lorrie Moore. This is followed by a section of chapters on postmodern masculinity and short fiction. The next section focuses on death as an image and theme in works by Richard Ford, Richard Brautigan, and James Joyce. The final set of chapters considers postmodern short fiction from South Africa and Canada.

About the Author

FARHAT IFTEKHARRUDIN is Associate Professor of English and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Texas at Brownsville. He is Editor of the literary journal Short Story.

JOSEPH BOYDEN published a collection of short fiction, Born with a Tooth (2001).

MARY ROHRBERGER is Adjunct Professor of English at the University of New Orleans. She is Executive Editor of Short Story.

JAIE CLAUDET is currently working on a novel.