In the following chapter of this paper, an outline of the present ontological crisis in terms of Lyotard’s ‘postmodern condition’ will be given. Throughout the discussion of Coupland’s fiction, this concept will be relevant for its influence on the characters’ thoughts and emotions. Furthermore, the chapter will analyze the importance and self-referentiality of narrative structures in Coupland’s work. The characters in Coupland’s novels often come up with a plentitude of more or less successful strategies in order to deal with the semantic void they experience. For this chapter, material will be presented predominantly from the novels All Families are Psychotic, Generation X and Microserfs.
The third chapter will focus on the presentation of working life in Coupland’s prose. His novels reveal that work today has lost its former function as a source of orientation. In this analysis, the concept of alienation as introduced by Karl Marx will be used in order to grasp the nature of the conflict that the characters experience in their working lives in Coupland’s novels. The chapter will focus on the presentation of working life in Generation X, Microserfs and Shampoo Planet. A fourth chapter will introduce yet a further source of disorientation – the hyperreality constituted by the media. Here, Baudrillard’s observations (1983 and 1994) will serve as a starting point in a discussion of the experience of the ‘hyperreal’ and the possibility of contact with the ‘real’ in Coupland’s work. Again, material will be presented from the novels Generation X, Microserfs and Shampoo Planet. The subsequent chapter will consider the important role that irony plays in several of the analyzed novels. Douglas Coupland, particularly in his first novels, impresses his readers with a smart and thoroughly ironic tone. In his later novels, however, he is deliberately trying to establish a more sincere language, mirrored by his characters’ desire to embark on a sincere quest for meaning. The functions of the presentation of the different forms of disorientation and re-orientation will be at the center of my discussion of Coupland’s fiction.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Postmodern Life as De-Narration.
- Collective Re-Narration.
- Story-telling in Generation X.
- The Microserfs' Community
- Apocalyptic Fantasies
- Meaningless Employment: Alienation Revisited
- 'McJobs' and Specialization in Generation X and Shampoo Planet
- Career Jobs as a Substitute for Meaning in Microserfs
- Simulations: Lack of Experienced Reality.
- Hyperreality and the Quest for the Real..
- The (Im-)possibility of 'Real' Experience..
- Irony and the Quest for the Sublime
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper explores the effects of postmodernity on individuals, particularly within the context of Douglas Coupland's fictional works. The analysis focuses on the anxieties, disorientations, and challenges faced by individuals navigating a society that prioritizes freedom over stability and security. The study aims to understand how Coupland's characters cope with the loss of traditional frameworks and narratives that once provided a sense of meaning and orientation.
- The postmodern condition and its impact on individual identity and experience.
- The erosion of traditional narratives and meta-narratives in a postmodern world.
- The consequences of freedom and the lack of shared values and orientations.
- The role of technology and consumerism in shaping postmodern life.
- The search for meaning and purpose in a fragmented and de-centered society.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction presents the central argument of the paper, highlighting the concept of postmodern discontents and anxieties stemming from the loss of traditional narratives and security. It compares the modern and postmodern eras, emphasizing the shift from a society focused on societal stability and individual sacrifice to a society that prioritizes individual freedom.
The subsequent chapters examine the ways in which postmodern life is characterized by a lack of orientation and meaning. They analyze Coupland's fictional works, exploring themes like the challenges of finding identity and belonging in a fragmented society, the alienation of meaningless employment, and the impact of simulations and hyperreality on individual experience.
The chapter on "Meaningless Employment" focuses on the concept of "McJobs" and the increasing specialization and lack of meaning found in the workplace. It examines the ways in which work, once a source of identity and purpose, becomes a source of alienation in a postmodern context.
The chapter on "Simulations" explores the role of technology and media in creating hyperreality and blurring the boundaries between the real and the simulated. It analyzes how individuals navigate a world where authenticity and meaning are increasingly difficult to discern.
The chapter on "Irony and the Quest for the Sublime" examines the use of irony and humor in Coupland's works as a response to the anxieties and disorientations of postmodern life. It investigates the search for transcendence and meaning in a world devoid of clear-cut values and narratives.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key terms and concepts explored in this paper include postmodernity, disorientation, narratives, alienation, meaning, identity, technology, consumerism, hyperreality, simulations, irony, and the sublime. These terms reflect the central themes and research focus of the paper, providing a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and anxieties faced by individuals navigating a postmodern world. This paper provides a rich examination of these concepts, delving into their implications for individual experience, social relationships, and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world.
- Citation du texte
- Martin Villwock (Auteur), 2008, Coping with Postmodernity, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/173174
