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LITERATURE AS A REFLECTION OF SOCIAL CHANGE: STUDY-SPECIFIC LITERARY MOVEMENTS (E.G., MODERNISM, FEMINISM) AND THEIR RESPONSES TO SOCIETAL SHIFTS DURING THEIR
RESPECTIVE PERIODS
Annotation: Literature has always played a vital role in reflecting and shaping societal values, attitudes, and movements. Various literary movements have emerged in response to cultural, political, and social environments, often encouraging change and challenging the status quo. We can easily say that there is no area of society that literature has not influenced. It means that literature allows us to explore the full range of humanity's lifestyle experiences highs and lows- revealing deeper emotional truths rather than absolute facts. It emphasizes the power of stories and imagination to convey what it means to be human or to be in a specific society. This article explores literary movements and their significant impact on social change.
Key words: modernism; realism; feminism; naturalism; swift social attitude; pacifism; gender equality.
The first literary movement we can say is modernism. First of all, we should clarify when modernism happened. What is the consequence of it?
. Once Salman Rushdie said: "Literature is where I go to explore the highest and lowest places in human society and in the human spirit, where I hope to find not absolute truth but the truth of the tale, of the imagination and the heart." Modernism
Oltinova Sevinch Oybek qizi
Bukhara State Pedagogical Institution, student Qurbonova Yulduz Umarovna
Bukhara State Pedagogical Institution, English teacher
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arose at the beginning of World War I, reflecting disillusionment with traditional values and societal norms. Writers like Virginia Woolf and T.S. Eliot experimented with narrative forms and explored themes of fragmentation and isolation. Their works often questioned the established order, contributing to movements on behalf of gender equality, pacifism, and cultural change, particularly in the aftermath of the war. Modernism is a cultural, artistic, and literary movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was marked by a deliberate break from traditional styles and themes, mirroring the swift social and political transformations of the era. Here are some key features of the Modernism period;
1. Break from Tradition: Modernists sought to challenge and overturn established norms in art, literature, and architecture.
2. Experimentation: There was a focus on new techniques and forms, such as stream of consciousness in literature and abstraction in visual arts.
3. Subjectivity: Emphasis on individual perspective and experience, reflecting the complexity of modern life. [1]
Industrial Revolution: Brought about significant economic changes and urbanization, altering people's lifestyles and perspectives.
World Wars: The devastation of World War I and II led to a questioning of previous values and ideologies.
Political Movements: The rise of various political movements, including socialism and existentialism, influenced modernist thought. J2]
Influential Figures:
Literature: James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, T.S. Eliot.
Art: Pablo Picasso, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp.
When it comes to themes of modernist writers:
Alienation or isolation: Many modernist works reflect feelings of isolation and disconnection in an increasingly complex world.
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Fragmentation: A sense of disorder and fragmentation in society is often mirrored in modernist forms.
Reevaluation of Reality: Modernists questioned objective reality, emphasizing subjective interpretations.
Modernism was a profound response to the disruptions of social and political systems in the wake of the 20th century. It fostered creativity and individual expression, paving the way for many modern literary movements.
The second movement is gender equality FEMINISM or Feminist literature.
Feminist literature encompasses works that emphasize women's social, political, and economic rights. The goal of this literature is to promote gender equality and protect women's rights. This movement started in the late 20th century. Till that years women were considered responsible only for household chores or child-rearing. They were often not taken into account even when making simple decisions. In all works, women were consistently depicted in a subordinate position, and their social rights were left unprotected. As for the main themes of feminist literature;
1. Gender Equality: Feminist literature analyzes gender roles and aims to expand women's opportunities.
2. Women's Experiences: These works depict the daily lives, challenges, and struggles of women.
3. Challenging Stereotypes: Feminist writers critique traditional gender stereotypes and create strong, independent representations of women. T31
Literary Examples:
Charlotte Bronte: In "Jane Eyre" a young woman who overcomes hardships while remaining true to her principles.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: In "We Should All Be Feminists," she advocates for gender equality and women's empowerment.
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Virginia Woolf: In "To the Lighthouse" it is an exploration of the human experience, shedding light on the intricacies of personal growth, the passage of time, and the pursuit of meaning in our lives.
Feminist literature includes literary portrayals in the struggle for gender equality and women's rights contributing to the improvement of the importance of women in society. These works act as a source of motivation for change and innovation. Women can change the world when given the chance. Providing equal opportunities for women lets them use their talents in the workforce and make positive changes in their communities. Unfortunately, men outnumber women in organizational leadership roles, in parliament, on government boards, on the bench, and in public recognition. We still need feminism today because women are too often expected to go to work, look after the kids, clean the house till it sparkles, and still have food ready on the table for their husbands and kids. Feminists highlight the burden of domestic duties and parental demands and try to instigate laws that could prompt cultural change, like paid parental leave._[4] We must be like the Pankhurst sisters, who helped women win the right to vote in the election. Like Eleanor Roosevelt, who encouraged women to rule the government. Like Malala Yousafzai, who urges across the world for education rights for women.
Reference:
1. From Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms, 5th Edition. San Francisco: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1988. 152-154.
2. Fulton, Elaine. "Mrs. Dalloway: Sexuality in post-war London." Examiner (Nov. 17, 2011).
3. Hardy, Thomas. Far From the Madding Crowd. Massachusetts: Trajectory Classics, 2014).
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4. Hughes, Kathryn. "Gender Roles in the 19th century." British Library. Accessed March 10, 2016
5. Wayne, Tiffany K. Feminist Writings, from Ancient Times to the Modern World. Santa Barbara, Greenwood, 2011.
6. Campbell, Donna M. (8 March 2017). "Naturalism in American Literature". Washington State University. Retrieved24 January 2019
7. "Realism definition of Realism in the Free Online Encyclopedia". Encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
8. David Thorburn, MIT, The Great Courses, The Teaching Company, 2007, Masterworks of Early 20th-Century Literature, see p. 12 of guidebook Part I, Accessed August 24, 2013
9. Campbell, Donna M. (8 March 2017). "Naturalism in American Literature". Washington State University. Retrieved24 January 2019.
10. Civello, Paul (1994), American Literary Naturalism and its Twentieth-Century Transformations: Frank Norris, Ernest Hemingway, Don DeLillo, The University of Georgia Press, pp. 1-2, 23-24.
[1] https://essaypro.com/blog/modernism-in-literature
[2] https://essaypro.com/blog/modernism-in-literature
[3] https://typeset.io/questions/what-are-the-common-themes-in-chick-lit-novels-1 sbtghckun
T41https://www.goodpeopleactnow.org.au/blog/why-we-still-need-feminism
[5] https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-literary-realism
[6] https://literaryodyssey.com/blog/realism-in-literature--a-detailed-study-of-its-characteristics-and-major-works
[7] https: //www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/english-literature/american-literary-movements/naturalism
