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  • Essay / How Postmodernism Transformed the Cultural Practice of Storytelling

    Postmodernism redefined the meaning and purpose of stories through its rebellious approach to storytelling, which gave composers the freedom to construct narratives that do not respect not the traditional conventions of the medium. This has resulted in the creation of narratives that challenge traditional storytelling paradigms, through the introduction of unorthodox ideas and themes into postmodern texts. Throughout history, storytelling has had a relatively conservative structure and has not deviated from the medium's established norms; the narratives generally projected objective truths and singular meta-narratives that failed to depict obscure local narratives. After the shift in perspective attributed to the repercussions of World War II, the concept of postmodernism emerged to describe the increasing uncertainty and disorientation of the Western world. Postmodernism's influence on storytelling is prominent in the seminal Bildungsroman novel The Catcher in the Rye and the autobiographical film Persepolis, both of which feature themes revealing how postmodernism acted as a catalyst for the metamorphosis of literature. Feelings of alienation within a society and the subjectivity of human experiences are themes that have been introduced into literature through the implementation of postmodernism in literature. Postmodernism completely transformed the cultural practice of storytelling by giving composers the freedom to create narratives with an infinite range of possibilities. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay Postmodernism introduced the theme of alienation within a society, through the diversity of voices that are notably present in postmodern texts. This challenges conventional norms that narratives are only written by mentally stable white men. The texts The Catcher in the Rye and Persepolis deviate from the classic prism of storytelling, as The Catcher in the Rye delves into the inner psyche of a teenager struggling with depression and Persepolis is told from the point of view of an Iranian woman. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden's ostracization in his society directly corresponds to his depression, as his continued isolation deprives him of the human contact he unconsciously desires and cements his internalized self-hatred. His alienation from others is illustrated by his interaction with his sister Phoebe, which demonstrates the tragic irony of his situation. As Holden visits Phoebe, he says of meeting her parents: "Not that they would have killed me or anything if they had brought me home, but it would have been very unpleasant and all.” Due to his desire to disassociate himself from his family, Holden separates from one of the few people who truly makes him happy. The audience is aware of how detrimental their decisions are to their own mental well-being, but Holden's lack of awareness creates a cruel irony that reflects the real-world implications of depression on an individual's relationships. Through this realistic portrayal of mental health issues, The Catcher in the Rye shows how diverse voices allowed composers to write from an underrepresented perspective, allowing audiences to better resonate with the text. However, while Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye is considered an unconventional prospect due to his distinct personality and unsuitability, Marjane Satrapi from Persepolis is considered an unconventional voice due to her ethnic and gender identity . HASPersepolis, Marjane's ostracization is based on her ethnicity and gender; Throughout the film, she is discriminated against in her country of origin and in her country of residence based on 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 obligation to wear it has resulted in the elimination of women's free will and choice Iranians. The hijab represents how the Islamic Revolution resulted in the emergence of patriarchal ideologies that emphasized women's modesty to a tyrannical degree, thereby communicating the oppression Marjane faced due to her gender. The depiction of gender-based alienation within Persepolis illustrates how the diversity of voices allowed authors to discuss themes that challenge the typical Eurocentric male perspective. The Catcher in the Rye parallels Persepolis in that it offers an alternative perspective that explores a wide range of identities; however, the two texts address different forms of alienation, in that 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 by allowing diverse audiences to identify with and resonate with the stories, while challenging the idea that men are the only valid form of literature. The subjectivity of human experiences is a concept that has arisen due to the rejection of objective truths in postmodern literature. This allowed the stories to focus on individual experiences rather than a universal meta-narrative, thereby challenging the belief that there is an objective truth. Both The Catcher in the Rye and Persepolis reject objective reality, as the uncertainty of Holden's perspective questions whether his descriptions of his situation are truly accurate and Marjane's state of mind shows the importance 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 where Holden proposes to Sally. Despite Holden insisting that he "wasn't even screaming", Sally's increasing discomfort and requests for Holden to "stop screaming...please". indicates to the audience that Holden is oblivious to his own actions. Thus, demonstrating how his immaturity and lack of interpersonal skills leads him to interpret his own behavior differently from how it is perceived by others. By depicting the incongruity of individual perspectives, The Catcher in the Rye negates the idea that an objective truth does not exist, thereby shifting the focus from grand narratives to local ones. Therefore, composers were allowed to focus on a plurality of individual perspectives rather than a single, overarching explanation. Conversely, Persepolis rejects the notion of 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. Disparities between individuals' worldviews are demonstrated through the.