LITERATURE OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE WORLD

REFLECTION

CONTEMPORAY LITERATURE AND POST MODERN

LITERATURE

FINALS

SHARMAINE V. LUBO

MARILYN APOLINARIO

Instructor
 POST MODERN LITERATURE

Postmodern literature is literature characterized by reliance on

narrative techniques such as fragmentation, paradox, and the
unreliable narrator; and is often (though not exclusively) defined as a
style or a trend which emerged in the post–World War II era.

Slaughterhouse-Five

Summary:

Slaughterhouse-Five is the now famous parable of Billy Pilgrim, a

World War II veteran and POW who has, in the later stage of his life,
become "unstuck in time" and who experiences at will (or unwillingly)
all known events of his chronology out of order and sometimes
simultaneously.

Traumatized by the bombing of Dresden at the time he had been

imprisoned, Pilgrim drifts through all events and history, sometimes
deeply implicated, sometimes a witness. He is surrounded by
Vonnegut's usual large cast of continuing characters (notably here the
hack science fiction writer Kilgore Trout and the alien Tralfamadorians,
who oversee his life and remind him constantly that there is no
causation, no order, no motive to existence). The "unstuck" nature of
Pilgrim's experience may constitute an early novelistic use of what we
now call post-traumatic stress disorder; then again, Pilgrim's aliens
may be as "real" as Dresden is real to him.

Struggling to find some purpose, order, or meaning to his existence and

humanity's, Pilgrim meets the beauteous and mysterious Montana
Wildhack (certainly the author's best character name), has a child with
her, and drifts on some supernal plane, finally, in which Kilgore Trout,
the Tralfamadorians, Montana Wildhack, and the ruins of Dresden do
not merge but rather disperse through all planes of existence.
Slaughterhouse-Five was hugely successful, brought Vonnegut an
enormous audience, was a finalist for the National Book Award and a
best seller, and remains four decades later as timeless and shattering a
war fiction as Catch-22, with which it stands as the two signal novels of
their riotous and furious decade.

Critic:
Slaughterhouse-Five, written by Kurt Vonnegut Junior, was
published in 1968 after twenty-three years of internal anguish.
The novel was a "progressive work" after Vonnegut returned from
World War II. Why did it take twenty-three years for Kurt
Vonnegut to write this novel?

Kurt Vonnegut's work is nothing new to critics, but

Slaughterhouse-Five is considered to be his best work. Many other
authors and critics have critiqued and analyzed his work, some
coming to much different conclusions than others.
Slaughterhouse-Five is a perfect example of differences in
critical commentary and how a writer can relay some thoughts when
meaning to share others.

These feelings are what prompted Kurt Vonnegut to write

Slaughterhouse-Five as he did. The main character of this novel
mirrors the author in many ways, but the striking similarity is
their inability to deal with the events of Dresden on the night
of February 13, 1945.
 CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

Contemporary literature is literature with its setting generally after

World War I. Subgenres of contemporary literature include
contemporary romance.

Their Eyes Were Watching God. Zora Neale Hurston

Summary:

. The story began with Janie Starks returning to Eatonville. With much
gossip about her return, a previous neighbor, Pheoby, came to meet her
and told her about the gossips. Janie only laughed and told her she
didn’t care about what other people think, but narrated her whole story
to Phoeby nonetheless. She recounts that it was her grandmother, a
former slave who raised her and that she never knew her parents.
Janie's grandmother told her that she has high hopes for her that she
did not want to see her be treated like a mule. Thus, when her
grandmother sees her kissing a boy, she immediately decides Janie will
marry Logan, a rich farmer who is much older than Janie. Logan was
unromantic and very practical. She desperately tried to learn to love her
husband, but that never happened. Logan thinks that Janie was a
spoiled woman who should help him run the farm rather than be idle.
One day, Janie had an encounter with a traveling suave man, Joe
“Jody” Starks. He was ambitious and a smooth talker and Janie was
easily mesmerized by his charm and wit. After many secret meetings
and flirtation, Janie decided to elope with Jody and, after reaching the
next town, married him. They came across a small town of black folks,
Eatonville, where Jody wanted to make it big. With his street smarts
and drive to be a politician, Jody soon became the mayor of the town
and everyone looked up to him with respect. Janie was the envy of the
other black women. They successfully owned businesses like the general
merchandise store where most men would gather; the town's post office
as well as lands. But Jody’s ambitions had devastating effects on their
marriage. When Janie thought that they could finally live a life of
adventure, after accomplishing so much, Jody realized that he was just
getting started and wanted more. Each passing day, Janie became more
and more discontent and their marriage soon started to crumble. After
the breakdown of their marriage and the passing of Jody, Janie met Tea
Cake; a much younger man, about 12 years younger than her. Tea
Cake’s sense of adventure and carefree ways persuade Janie and
reignite her passion for adventure. Despite the town gossiping about
her, she married Tea Cake and with him, she was able to live a life that
she wanted—life wherein she could feel loved and be loved, a sense of
adventure and contentment, and living a carefree life. She moved to the
Everglades with Tea Cake. During a hurricane, while trying to save
Janie from a dog, Tea Cake was bitten and rabies soon consumed him
and his brain. Janie had to shoot him to defend herself. She was tried
for murder, but soon acquitted. After that, she returned home to
Eatonville where the story finally turned full circle.

Critic:

This is when Janie finally meets a young man who is the man of her dreams
and who defines true love for her.

This novel is a packet of surprises as we have no idea what’s going to

happen next. Many romantic novels basically have the same plot, but this
novel is something no one would have ever imagined.

Reflection:

Their Eyes Were Watching God is about Janie Crawford. She is a fully
realized, complicated, and human character. She is one of the better
characters I have come across in some time. Throughout the book's
pages, there is a genuine story arc for Janie. She progresses, has flaws,
strengths, and is a different person at the end of the book than from
who she was at the beginning of the book. When so many characters in
other books are so flat, Janie Crawford is a fine example of a fine
fictional character.
Their Eyes Were Watching God is a beautifully written and deeply
saddening story. From a character study perspective, it's superb. I
consider it unique among the Southern Literature books I have read
because it doesn't focus on the themes and social issues one would
expect. Rather, it focuses on one woman, who she is and who she wants
to be. I enjoyed reading about Janie Crawford, and Zora Neale Hurston
deserves the credit she has received for creating such a vibrant and real
character.

Whereas in Slaughterhouse five, the reoccurring theme has been the

idea of war. I believe that this theme has lead to show us how critical
and really how destructive war can be. Although in some aspects Billy
Pilgrim is able to recover from war, I still feel that it disheartened him
a lot. I believe the stress and post trauma really seems to take a toll on
him. I get this idea based on events and experiences that he had to face.

I found it hard at times to enjoy Slaughterhouse five because I could not

necessarily relate to the setting and situation. I understood the story
but did not find it enjoyable because of the subject matter. I find war t
be very depressing and sad. The subject makes me a little uneasy.
Despite this, I found that the book told a very detailed and heartfelt
story.