I.

Major Themes of 21st Century Literature:

A. identity- the concept of the self and its relation to the body, brain, and soul. In
the book “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay”, a recipient of the
Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2001 and written by Michael Chabon, he won the
struggles to come to terms with his homosexuality. Also, Ayaan Hirsi’s 2008
book “Infidel” became a feminist voice for the rights of abused Muslim
women.
B. history and memory- “The March” by E. L. Doctorow fictionalizes yet still
depicts the realities of General Sherman’s famous march during the U.S.
Civil War, and how the people of the South were slaughtered, giving a slightly
different perspective of how the North is depicted. The theme is depicted then
differently for different audiences, something filtered through human
perspective and experience.
C. technology- Something more integrated into people’s lives than ever before,
something that could potentially help people, “Machine Man” by Max Barry
talks about helping people with disabilities. “Ready Player One” by Ernest
Cline depicts a futuristic world where everyone escapes reality by plugging
into a virtual utopia.
D. intertextuality- Writers put together acknowledgments, references, or parallels
to other works of fiction, recognizing their place in a larger, broader
conversation, context and body of work. Some intertextual themes poke fun at
a work’s lack of originality or the clichés it seemingly cannot escape. For
example, in “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by Junot Diaz, the text
references many comics, movies, and other books in order to describe
events. e.g. The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer, Goosebumps, Rick
Riordan’s myth series

II. 21ST CENTURY SKILLS/ OTHER COMMON THEMES:

1. collaboration- working together to reach a goal- putting talent, expertise, and smarts
to work
2. communication- sharing thoughts, questions, ideas, and solutions
3. critical thinking- looking at problems in a new way, linking learning across subjects
and disciplines
4. creativity- trying new approaches to get things done equals innovation and invention
5. innovation- using one’s creativity and imagination to invent something new or modify
and upgrade an existing invention
6. global awareness- addressing global issues
7. civic literacy- active participation in government processes
8. health literacy- understanding preventive measures like proper diet, nutrition,
exercise, risk avoidance, and stress reduction; making health- related decisions
9. financial literacy- understanding the role of economy to society; applying
entrepreneurial skills to enhance workplace productivity and career options
10. environmental literacy- understanding the relationships among beliefs, politics, and
environmental values of various cultures