How Postmodernism Has Transformed The Cultural Practice of Storytelling

Introduction

Postmodernism redefined the meaning and purpose of narratives through its rebellious approach to storytelling, which gave composers the freedom to construct narratives that don’t abide by the traditional conventions of the medium. This resulted in the creation of narratives that challenged the traditional paradigms of storytelling, through the introduction of unorthodox ideas and themes within postmodern texts. Throughout history, storytelling has been relatively conservative in structure and did not diverge from the established norms of the medium; stories generally projected objective truths and singular metanarratives that failed to depict obscure, local narratives. After the shift in perspective attributed to the repercussions of the second World War, the concept of postmodernism emerged in order to portray the rising uncertainty and disorientation of the Western world. The influence of postmodernism on storytelling is prevalent within the seminal Bildungsroman novel The Catcher in the Rye and the autobiographical film Persepolis, which both present themes that reveal how postmodernism has acted as a catalyst for the metamorphosis of literature. The feelings of alienation within a society and the subjectivity of human experiences are themes which have been introduced in literature through the implementation of postmodernism in literature. Postmodernism has completely transformed the cultural practice of storytelling by giving composers the freedom to create narratives with an infinite range of possibilities.

Alienation in Postmodern Narratives

Postmodernism introduced the theme of alienation within a society, through the diversity of voices which are notably present within postmodern texts. This challenges the conventional standards that narratives are only written by mentally stable white men. The texts The Catcher in the Rye and Persepolis deviate from the stock-standard lens of storytelling, as The Catcher in the Rye delves into the inner psyche of a teenage boy struggling with depression and Persepolis is told from the perspective of an Iranian woman. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden’s ostracisation in his society directly corresponds with his depression, as his continual self-isolation deprives him of the human contact he subconsciously desires and cements his internalised self-hatred. His alienation from others is exemplified through his interaction with his sister Phoebe, which demonstrates the tragic irony of his situation. As Holden visits Phoebe, he says in relation to meeting his parents, “Not that they would've killed me or anything if they'd caught me home, but it would've been very unpleasant and all.” Due to his fixation on disassociating with his family, Holden parts with one of the few people who makes him genuinely happy. The audience is aware of how detrimental his decisions are to his own mental wellbeing, but Holden’s lack of awareness creates a cruel irony that mirrors the real life implications of depression on an individual’s relationships. Through this realistic depiction of mental health struggles, The Catcher in the Rye displays how the diversity of voices has enabled composers to write from an underrepresented viewpoint, thus allowing the audience to resonate with the text more thoroughly.

However, while Holden Caulfield of The Catcher in the Rye is considered an unconventional perspective due to his distinct personality and his maladjustment, Marjane Satrapi of Persepolis is considered an unconventional voice due to her ethnic and gender identity. In Persepolis, Marjane’s ostracisation is based on her ethnicity and her gender; throughout the film, she is discriminated against within her home country and her country of residence on the basis of both aspects. The discrimination Marjane faces as a woman is conveyed through the symbol of the hijab. For Marjane, the hijab acts as a repressive force, as the compulsion to wear it resulted in an elimination of free will and choice for Iranian women. The hijab represents how the Islamic Revolution resulted in the emergence of patriarchal ideologies which emphasised the modesty of women to a tyrannical degree, thus communicating the oppression Marjane faced due to her gender. The depiction of alienation based on gender within Persepolis illustrates how the diversity of voices allowed authors to discuss themes which challenge the typical Eurocentric male perspective. The Catcher in the Rye parallels Persepolis in the sense that it provides an alternate perspective which explores a diverse range of identities; however, the two texts approach different forms of alienation, as Holden’s alienation is self-inflicted while Marjane’s alienation is based on fixed aspects of her identity. Nonetheless, the representation of unconventional voices in postmodern literature has transformed storytelling as it allowed a diverse audience to identify and resonate with narratives, as well as challenge the notion that male-oriented narratives are the only valid form of literature.

The Subjectivity of Human Experience

The subjectivity of human experiences is a concept that has been raised due to the rejection of objective truths in postmodern literature. This allowed narratives to focus on individual experiences rather than a universal metanarrative, thus challenging the belief that there is an objective truth. The Catcher in the Rye and Persepolis both reject an objective reality, as the uncertainty of Holden’s perspective questions whether his descriptions of his circumstances are truly accurate and Marjane’s mindset displays the significance of personal experiences on the development of an individual’s personality. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden’s distinct outlook on life highlights the subjectivity of human experiences and how individuals perceive different situations differently. The distinctiveness of Holden’s experiences is manifested through the use of unreliable narration, particularly in the scene when Holden proposes to Sally. Despite the fact that Holden insists that he “wasn’t even shouting”, Sally’s growing discomfort and requests for Holden to “stop screaming... please.” indicates to the audience that Holden is unconscious of his own actions. Thus, demonstrating how his immaturity and lack of interpersonal skills cause him to interpret his own demeanour differently from how it is regarded by others. By depicting the incongruity of individual perspectives, The Catcher in the Rye denies the concept that an objective truth does not exist, thus shifting the focus from grand narratives to local narratives. Consequently, composers were allowed to focus on a plurality of individual perspectives rather than a singular overarching explanation.

Contrarily, Persepolis rejects the notion of an objective truth through its commentary on how beliefs and values are formed through personal encounters. In Persepolis, Marjane’s worldviews and ideologies are constructed due to her struggles for freedom during the repressive Iranian Revolution. The disparities between the worldviews of individuals are demonstrated through the juxtaposition of Marjane and her friends from Austria. While Marjane’s friends adopt nihilistic schools of thought due to their inalienable freedom granted by their home country, Marjane condemns the concept of nihilism and her friends’ meaningless philosophies due to the oppressive censorship and lack of freedom she experienced in Iran. While Marjane’s friends have the privilege to claim life is meaningless, Marjane is insulted by such pretentious statements as their lives have a boundless array of possibilities which her people are unable to achieve under the Islamic Regime. This formation of divergent perspectives based on an individual’s context shows how the repudiation of an objective truth allows composers to explore different worldviews and philosophies. The Catcher in the Rye contrasts Persepolis as the two texts reject an objective truth in two different ways; The Catcher in the Rye creates a subjective perspective due to Holden’s idiosyncrasies and cognitive function while Persepolis creates a subjective perspective due to Marjane’s personal experiences. Nevertheless, the rejection of an objective truth in postmodern texts reformed storytelling as it diverted attention away from grand narratives and towards local narratives which are more relevant in portraying individual perspectives.

Conclusion

Postmodernism acted as a catalyst for the metamorphosis of literature, as it provided composers with the freedom to construct narratives with more radical, orthodox subject matter. The influences of postmodernism within the texts The Catcher in the Rye and Persepolis were present through the implementation of postmodern concepts such as the diversity of voices and the rejection of an objective truth. The implementation of these concepts allowed for the expression of unorthodox themes such as alienation and subjectivity of the truth, thus depicting how postmodernism has challenged the conventions of storytelling. This paradigm shift has not only transformed the landscape of literature but has also allowed for a richer, more inclusive exploration of the human condition, challenging readers to question their own perceptions of reality.

References

• Salinger, J. D. (1951). The Catcher in the Rye. Little, Brown and Company.
• Satrapi, M. (2007). Persepolis. Directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud. 2.4.7. Films.
• Barry, P. (2009). Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. Manchester University Press.
• Hutcheon, L. (1988). A Poetics of Postmodernism: History, Theory, Fiction. Routledge.
• Jameson, F. (1991). Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. Duke University Press.
• Lyotard, J.-F. (1984). The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge. University of Minnesota Press.