unlocking the novel
a guide to modernism and postmodernism

Unlocking the modern novel: turning the cubist key

Many readers find modern literature extremely challenging to understand and difficult to get into, and some modern works seem virtually inaccessible to the average reader. But if you're having trouble entering into the world of modern literature, don't worry. If you've already started reading a modern novel and are feeling desperately confused, you are not alone! It may be even more comforting to know that many modern authors purposely seek to create confusion and discomfort in their readers. 

I've found that having an understanding of modern art, particularly cubism, gives me an edge when reading modern literature. So if you're struggling with a particular author, or haven't yet braved modern literature, take a few minutes to learn about cubism and how it can help you "unlock" the mysteries of the modern novel.

Cubism is an art movement that was founded in the early 20th Century by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. Generally, cubists sought to show everyday objects as the mind, not the eye, perceives them--from all sides at once. Picasso and other cubists rejected the artistic ideals of the Renaissance and set out on a path to an entirely new means of expression in painting. The Columbia Encyclopedia highlights some of the artistic ideals that cubists discarded:    

● "sensual appearance of paint texture and color"

● "subject matter with emotional charge or mood"

● "play of light on form"

● movement

● "illusionism that proceeded from scientifically based perspective"

According to the Columbia Encyclopedia, cubists replaced these techniques by using:

● an analytic system

● three-dimensional, fragmented subjects

● shallow or interlocking planes              

You might be wondering, "Now that I know a little bit about cubism, how in the world can it help me understand modern works such as William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury or Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway?" Well, modern novelists have a lot in common with the cubists, and viewing cubist art gives us a visual representation of modern literary ideals. Just as cubist painters were moving away from traditional techniques, modern novelists were moving away from established literary conventions and toward an entirely new style of writing. Techniques that many modernists abandoned include:

● a linear narrative structure that ends in conflict resolution

● generally optimistic tone

● extraordinarily detailed settings

● themes exploring social problems arising from industrial conditions; doubts and hopes of new scientific discoveries; usefulness and practicality as an ideal

Modern novelists replaced these techniques with:

● focus on the individual rather than society

● exploration of the psychologies of Freud and Jung

● experimental examination of the inner self

● stream of consciousness style of writing

● themes of fragmentation, alienation, loss, and despair.

As you can see, both cubists and modern novelists were trying to break out of the established molds of their media. Both were fascinated with expression from the perspective of the mind, and used an analytical approach to achieve their purposes. Merriam-Webster defines analytical as separating something into component parts or constituent elements. cubists wanted to change the way people looked at, or visualized, objects by breaking down the subjects in their paintings to core elements. An essay on Picasso explores analytical cubism, the first major movement within cubism, which featured objects "deconstructed into their components." The Artchive explains that the aim of this movement was to produce conceptual images as opposed to perceptual images.

Some of the visual characteristics common in analytical cubist paintings outlined by the Online Picasso Project:    

● "limited use of color, usually brown, green, black, gray"

● "planes interpenetrate other planes"

● "very shallow fractured space"

● "built around central vertical core"

● "objects and spaces are destroyed and rebuilt"

The Artchive explains that, during this analytical period, Picasso "reached levels of expression that threatened to pass beyond the comprehension of the viewer." As a result, Picasso decided to start "putting the pieces back together," creating art with somewhat more concrete images.

Modern novelists also wanted to change the way people looked at the world. They tried to express their ideas, and especially their characters, through the language of the mind. Rather than present the reader with a conventional, polished arrangement of words, these authors attempted to capture the flow of thoughts that actually occurs in the brain. This stream-of-consciousness technique was quite popular among modern authors, particularly James Joyce. Joyce explored this technique to some degree in The Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man and expanded on it in his later works. Just as Picasso's style created confusion, Joyce's experimental techniques clouded his readers' comprehension. But unlike Picasso, Joyce did not attempt to "put the pieces back together" for his readers. Instead, Joyce delved deeper into his exploration of the subconscious, using the stream-of-consciousness technique in his novels Ulysses and Finnegan's Wake.

Return to unlocking the modern novel.