During the 1960s, college-aged men and women broke out of long-held social norms and became political activists. Their stance against the mainstream culture separated themselves from long-accepted social roles. Sexuality became more experimental, women protested against traditional gender roles and the young people protested against wars that had been ravaging the country for decades (45). The introduction of Television in the home resulted in it's powerful messages being broadcast worldwide. Suddenly, Americans were able to see the real and horrifying images of the Vietnam War and Racism. The power of seeing can stir up great moral unrest, which in theory, could have had a big influence on growing disdain for the current norms (46).
"The tension, horror, and meaninglessness of contemporary American life became a major theme of novelist during the 1960s and 70s (47)." Some authors centered on specific minority groups, like the Jewish people or African-American people. After WWI, more African-American writers began to emerge highlighting the social oppression and pervasive prejudice minorities, specifically African-Americans, were experiencing. The Fire Next Time written by James Baldwin, a well known African-American activitst and writer, is discussed in my 1963 section.
The novels of the time "depicted the conflict and violence inherent in American life at all levels of society (47)." Many writers wrote on actual events of the 1960s, like Truman Capote, John Hersey, and Norman Mailer. Normal Mailer subjected on politics, murder, and presidential elections. In my 1960 section, Advise and Consent by Allen Drury is political fantasy centered on a nomiated senatorial candidate. To lighten the "despair" of reality, "irony and so-called black humor were the weapons of authors like Roth, Joseph Heller, and Jules Feiffer." Contrastingly, other writers entered the surreal world by writing fantasies that were "charming, obscure, exciting, profound, and terrifying." They were often called postmodern due to its multicultural, self-reflecting, and innovative chracteristics (47). Whether the writers chose to remain more grounded in reality or fantasy, novels were a way to reflect the sociopolitical America it drew inspiration from. Americans were going through sociopolitical unrest and wanted to be fully freed. Mirroring society, literature focused on subjects like the anti-war movement, Civil Rights, youth rebellion, the women's movement, and gay rights. To sum up the theme of the 1960s literature; counterculture (1).
"The tension, horror, and meaninglessness of contemporary American life became a major theme of novelist during the 1960s and 70s (47)." Some authors centered on specific minority groups, like the Jewish people or African-American people. After WWI, more African-American writers began to emerge highlighting the social oppression and pervasive prejudice minorities, specifically African-Americans, were experiencing. The Fire Next Time written by James Baldwin, a well known African-American activitst and writer, is discussed in my 1963 section.
The novels of the time "depicted the conflict and violence inherent in American life at all levels of society (47)." Many writers wrote on actual events of the 1960s, like Truman Capote, John Hersey, and Norman Mailer. Normal Mailer subjected on politics, murder, and presidential elections. In my 1960 section, Advise and Consent by Allen Drury is political fantasy centered on a nomiated senatorial candidate. To lighten the "despair" of reality, "irony and so-called black humor were the weapons of authors like Roth, Joseph Heller, and Jules Feiffer." Contrastingly, other writers entered the surreal world by writing fantasies that were "charming, obscure, exciting, profound, and terrifying." They were often called postmodern due to its multicultural, self-reflecting, and innovative chracteristics (47). Whether the writers chose to remain more grounded in reality or fantasy, novels were a way to reflect the sociopolitical America it drew inspiration from. Americans were going through sociopolitical unrest and wanted to be fully freed. Mirroring society, literature focused on subjects like the anti-war movement, Civil Rights, youth rebellion, the women's movement, and gay rights. To sum up the theme of the 1960s literature; counterculture (1).