Stream of Consciousness in Literature.pptx

Trends and movement in English Literature

1. Stream of Consciousness in Literature Presented By Jatin Varu

2. Presented by :- Jatin Varu Enrollment Number :- 5108230049 Email :- [email protected] Batch :- 2023-2025 Date :- 10 April 2024 Subject Code :- 2240 3 Roll No. :- 11 PERSONAL INFORMATION

3. Table of Contents Definition and Origin Key Characteristics Notable Authors and Works The Role of Narration What Makes Stream of Consciousness Different Stream of Consciousness VS. Interior monologue Contemporary Connection

4. Definition and Origin The stream of consciousness is a concept in psychology that refers to the continuous flow of subjective thoughts, feelings, and experiences that make up an individual's conscious life. It was famously described by the philosopher and psychologist William James in his book The Principles of Psychology (1890). Here are some key points about the stream of consciousness: Definition: Stream of consciousness in literature is like a continuous river of thoughts, feelings, and perceptions flowing through a character's mind. Instead of being separate, each thought or feeling smoothly blends into the next, just like how one stream flows into another. It's all about capturing the constant movement and change within a character's inner world. Origin: The idea built on earlier philosophical concepts like the "association of ideas" from philosophers like John Locke and David Hume. But James gave it a more unified, holistic conception as a stream rather than just associated ideas/perceptions. He based it on his own introspections about the nature of conscious experience. It became an influential metaphor and concept in psychology, philosophy of mind, and literary stream of consciousness writing styles. ( McGilvary )

5. It is described as a "wonderful genre" that is "incredibly user-friendly" because the writer does not need to think up a plot, tie threads together, or create credible characters. The writer simply thinks or lies down and lets their flow of thoughts, impressions, memories, fragmented ideas, phrases, and associations emerge and blend together in a continuous stream . There is no need for structure or logical connections - incomplete thoughts can be interrupted by new ones, and the writer's consciousness wanders freely from one idea to the next. The important aspect is capturing the raw birth and formulation of thoughts into words, before those formulations disappear from the mind again. Stream of consciousness embraces the fluidity, spontaneity, and unfiltered nature of the human thought process, unencumbered by conventions of narrative or reasoning. The author states his desire to "master the stream of consciousness technique" precisely because of this liberated, unstructured quality that allows the uninterrupted flow of the writer's consciousness onto the page. ( VOINOVICH ) Key Characteristics

6. Notable Authors and Works James Joyce Known for his innovative use of stream of consciousness in novels like "Ulysses" and "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", Joyce's works revolutionized literary narration. Virginia Woolf Woolf's groundbreaking novels such as "Mrs. Dalloway" and "To the Lighthouse" employed lyrical, introspective narration to delve into the inner lives of her characters. ( McGilvary )

7. William Faulkner Faulkner's Southern Gothic masterpieces, including "The Sound and the Fury" and "As I Lay Dying", used fragmented, non-linear narratives to capture the flow of consciousness. Marcel proust Proust's monumental work "In Search of Lost Time" is a seminal example of the stream of consciousness technique, exploring memory, perception, and the nature of subjective experience. ( McGilvary )

8. Stream of consciousness literature utilizes first-person narration to immerse the reader in the protagonist's unfiltered thoughts and emotions. The narrative voice directly conveys the character's inner experience, providing an intimate and subjective perspective The "second sound" refers to the thoughts and judgments that come after, which tend to lose some of the freshness and richness of the initial impressions. Stream of consciousness emphasizes the free associations of thought, reflecting the imagination moving quickly from one idea to the next, creating new patterns out of reality. Wang Meng sees value in using this technique to portray the depth and complexity of the human psyche and inner mental life, especially in modern times. The technique should be used to serve meaningful thematic content grounded in a materialist worldview, not just empty formalism. This technique allows authors to represent the ebb and flow of the human mind, blending memory, perception, and imagination in a fluid, non-linear manner. (MENG) The Role of Narration

9. 1). Syntax and Grammar: Stream of consciousness doesn't follow normal grammar and word order. Thoughts are shown as they come, even if they're incomplete or interrupted. Punctuation like italics, dashes, and ellipses are used differently to show pauses and changes in thought. 2). Association: Ideas are linked by personal experiences and memories, not always with clear connections. Thoughts can jump from one thing to another, like how our minds wander in real life. Characters might react to what they see, hear, smell, feel, or taste. 3). Repetition: Words or phrases might be repeated to show a character's fixation on something. Repetition helps highlight important themes or motifs in the story. 4). Plot Structure: The story might have multiple narrators, each with their own "stream" of thoughts. Events might not happen in order, or the past might be shown through memories. Authors might use different styles of writing to show different characters' thoughts or memories ( Soteriou ) What Makes Stream of Consciousness Different

10. Both interior monologue and stream of consciousness involve the presentation of a character's thoughts to the reader. I nterior monologue:- unlike in stream of consciousness, the character's thoughts are often presented using traditional grammar and syntax, and usually have a clear logical progression from one sentence to the next and one idea to the next. Interior monologue relates a character's thoughts as coherent, fully formed sentences, as if the character is talking to him or herself. Stream of consciousness:- in contrast, seeks to portray the actual experience of thinking, in all its chaos and distraction. Stream of consciousness is not just an attempt to relay a character's thoughts, but to make the reader experience those thoughts in the same way that the character is thinking them.

11. 1. Contemporary Experimentation While the high modernist novels of Joyce, Woolf, and others were groundbreaking, contemporary writers have continued to experiment with and redefine stream of consciousness narration. Authors like Don DeLillo, Zadie Smith, and Jonathan Safran Foer have incorporated elements of stream of consciousness into more postmodern styles. 2. Minority Perspectives Writers from minority and underrepresented groups have used stream of consciousness to portray previously marginalized inner experiences, psychologies and modes of being. Examples include African-American writers like Toni Morrison and Hispanic writers like Junot Diaz. 3. New Media The stream of consciousness has influenced other narrative media beyond novels, such as films that attempt to capture the unfiltered subjective experience through techniques like voiceovers, jump cuts, and abandoned storylines. 4. Auto-Fiction The genre of auto-fiction, blending fiction and autobiography, has proven fertile ground for stream of consciousness writing that blurs perceived boundaries between a writer's lived experiences and their imagination. ( McGilvary ) Contemporary Connection

12. Conclusion Exploring the stream of consciousness in literature unveils the intricate workings of the human mind, allowing readers to dive deep into characters' thoughts, emotions, and experiences. This narrative technique, pioneered by writers like James Joyce and Virginia Woolf, breaks traditional linear storytelling, offering a fragmented yet immersive journey through the psyche. Through this exploration, literature mirrors the complexities of human consciousness, inviting readers to engage with characters on a profoundly intimate level and challenging them to reconsider the nature of storytelling itself.

13. Refrences McGilvary, Evander Bradley. “The Stream of Consciousness.” The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods , vol. 4, no. 9, 1907, pp. 225–35. JSTOR , https://doi.org/10.2307/2010813 . Accessed 10 Apr. 2024. MENG, WANG, and Michael S. Duke. “An Open Letter on ‘Stream-of-Consciousness.’” Modern Chinese Literature , vol. 1, no. 1, 1984, pp. 25–28. JSTOR , http://www.jstor.org/stable/41490564 . Accessed 10 Apr. 2024. Soteriou, Matthew. “Content and the Stream of Consciousness.” Philosophical Perspectives , vol. 21, 2007, pp. 543–68. JSTOR , http://www.jstor.org/stable/25177214 . Accessed 10 Apr. 2024. VOINOVICH, VLADIMIR, and John Jamieson. “Stream of Consciousness.” New Zealand Slavonic Journal , 2003, pp. 165–69. JSTOR , http://www.jstor.org/stable/40922151 . Accessed 10 Apr. 2024.

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