AI - The Alienated Individual: 20th Century Novels Overview

The Alienated Individual: 20^th Century Novels

Introduction

Some of the most significant events of the 20th Century include World War I, the Rise and Fall of Communism, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, the End of European Colonial Empires, and Globalization of the World. For each of these events, there is a global scale involved. We aren’t just thinking of the world in terms of regional issues—in the 21^st century the world is more connected than ever, and events have a magnitude not found in previous eras. Because of the overwhelming nature of these events, and often the human tragedy involved in them, the role and significance of the individual has been questioned more than in previous eras. Like the trends that we previously studied with 20^th century poetry, 20^th century novels tend to shift focus from society and social criticism to the role of the individual in a particular society.

As we read through the three 20^th century novels in this module, you will notice the following:

They are all united by a region: the African Congo. This is deliberate and will help you to not only retain the content of the literature, but also to explore how three different authorial perspectives treat a common area.
The characters in each of these novels face existential choices against the backdrop of a world that is out of their control.
The characters are all alienated and act alone. Whether or not we agree with the choices the character makes, the character makes this choice and accepts responsibility for the consequences of the actions.

Module Lessons Preview

In this module, we will study the following topics:

Historical and Philosophical Contexts for the 20th Century: In this microlesson, we will review some of the key literary movements of the 20^th century and how they relate to the development of the novel.

Brief History of the Congo: In this lesson, we will have a brief history lesson of the Congo Region.

Close Reading of Heart of Darkness: In this lesson, we will focus upon a novel that bridges the 19th and 20th centuries in both style and content.

Close Reading of The Poisonwood Bible: In this lesson, we will focus upon a novel that bridges the 19th and 20th centuries in both style and content.

Thematic Reading of Heart of Darkness and The Poisonwood Bible: In this lesson, we will consider both novels in the context of a larger thematic AP English Literature question.

20th Century Fiction on the AP English Literature Exam: In this lesson, we will consider some practical applications of 20th century fiction on the AP Literature Exam.

IMAGES CREATED BY GAVS