Summary

We discussed Post-Modernism today, which stemmed from the Enlightenment movement. The main example given in class concerning rational thinking dealt with Nazi Germany, an amazing display of rational thinking but in a negative way. Making a reference to Ginsberg's Howl, if Nazi Germany and the attempt to exterminate all but their idea of the perfect race was considered logical at the time, then it makes sense for the world to be a bit crazy. We also discussed the differences between Modernism and Post-Modernism.

We began our reading discussion with Donald Barthelme's "The Balloon." The balloon portrays the Post-Modernist perspective because it is a story about what stories can do. We first discussed the various aspects of the balloon itself, such as its size, the way it changes, and how it provokes different responses. Once we began discussing the colors of it, Croxall mentioned that it's like a Louis Vitton monster that has come to life. Furthermore, the people of Manhattan focus on using the balloons for personal purpose in their interactions with the balloon rather attempt to decipher what the actual purpose of the balloon may be. The ending creates an intensely private and context specific meaning that the reader would not have guessed; it only gains meaning and perspective in context with the narrative's life, hence the reason for its classification as Post-Modernism.

We also compared Modernism to New York City and Post-Modernism to Las Vegas, because Vegas is similar to that which writers of the Post-Modernism world do with their writing. Stories are more playful and ironic. In Thompson's from "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," everything is described as being over the top. There are things that seem out of place and fake. The pastiche of architecture one sees emanates a sense of weirdness, because objects are divorced from their history in Vegas.

Word Count: 306

Passages

"That was the situation, then. But it was wrong to speak of "situations," implying sets of circumstances leading to some resolution, some escape of tension; there were no situations, simply the balloon hanging there...but at the moment, there was only this balloon, concrete particular, hanging there" (Barthelme 2681).

We discussed in this passage that it was odd to describe a balloon as being "concrete," since it is something soft and tangible, filled with air.

"It was agreed that since the meaning of the balloon could never be known absolutely, extended discussion was pointless, or at least less purposeful than the activities of those who, for example, hung green and blue paper lanterns from the warm gray underside, in certain streets, or seized the occasion to write messages on the surface, announcing their availability for the performance of unnatural acts, or the availability of acquaintances" (Barthelme 2681).

This passage shows how the people try to impose meaning and purpose to the balloon through graffiti and exemplifies the way mankind desires purpose. The people essentially ascribe their own purposes and meanings to the balloon and choose to ignore what the purpose of the balloon may actually be.

Key Terms

Enlightenment --  Movement in which people progressed through rational thinking

Modernism --    Meanings beneath the surface of the text exist, and there are clues within it to help the reader come to a conclusion

Post-Modernism --   Similar to Modernism in that there are meanings beneath the surface. However, the meanings and interpretations depend upon their context, because the works are more subjective. 

Meta Narrative -- a narrative about a narrative...Leotard considers Post-Modernism to be "skepticism about meta narratives."

Grand Narrative -- Suspicion of applicability of narrative form

Pastiche -- an art term referring to a collage, which means taking things from various sources and combine them to make something new. Vegas architecture is sort of a pastiche since the city consists of numerous representations of famous buildings.