Both the Post Modernist and Modernist eras began with the start of a world war in the 20th century. The Modernist era was shaped by World War I, the Great Depression, and the Harlem Renaissance. Many Modernist authors began to write about the struggles of living in America. The Great Depression caused the American stock market to crash, and caused many Banks to close due to the lack of money. This also affected the way books were printed, which caused a rise in cheaper printing methods like paperback books and “pulp” paper. (Belasco and Johnson). The Harlem Renaissance caused more fiction books to be written, and caused a rise in African American authors.The Postmodernist Era began after the end of World War II, and many writers were influenced by the Civil Rights movement, the second Red Scare, and the second great migration. The Civil Rights Movement allowed for leaders like Martin Luther King Jr and Malcom X to become household names, and many literary works talked about the current day events. The Second Red Scare happened during the Vietnam and Korean Wars. The second great migration was when all of the African Americans decided to move out of the South and up towards the North. All of these historical events affected literary works of America, due to all of the quick culture changes that were implemented into the government. While Post Modernism and Modernist have similar themes like isolation and alienation, Post Modernism focuses more on political and social issues in society, while Modernism focuses on people’s feelings and cultural movements in society.
