Impressionism
by Jacob Harris
What is Impressionism?
Impressionism was a nineteenth-century movement (specifically in literature and art which
advocated a recording of the artist’s personal impressions of the world, rather than a
strict representation of reality.
It Was Super Weird
- Began mostly in Western Europe (France, Germany, and England)
- Writers began questioning long-held writing rules and conventions
- Started ignoring such conventions, believing that if the author's goal was a truthful representation, they shouldn't limit themselves
- They then proceeded to write some super freaky weird books
Impressionist Authors
Ford Maddox Ford
- Wrote Paradise's End and The Good Soldier
- Decided that putting things in chronological order really wasn't his thing
- Structured his plots in fragmented parts with no regards to the order in which plot elements occurred, allowing readers to view the story as a whole piece
- Made popular in impressionist writings a practice that was before considered a sign of inability to focus
- Worked with Joseph Conrad to write The Inheritors, which challenged the notion that literary characters must always have perfect speach
Samuel Beckett
- Wrote many poems, books and plays, most famously Waiting for Godot
- Ignored normal plot structure and pieced together random and odd events to form artistic impressions of the world
- One of the many impressionist authors who embraced unstructured inner monologues
A Bit of Beckett
Samuel Beckett play "Not I" 1973
Activity Time!
At your tables, think of a common literary convention most authors follow. Provide an example of what it might look like if authors ignored this altogether. Use specific novels for your examples.
Bibliography
"Impressionism." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.
"Samuel Beckett - Biography." Samuel Beckett. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.
"Samuel Beckett Play "Not I" 1973." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.