The postmodern society in Neil Gaiman’s American gods

Authors

Keywords:

Postmodernity, Society, Literature

Abstract

American gods, written by Neil Gaiman (2016), is frequently linked to the ideas of postmodernism due to its themes and discussions. This article, based on theories about postmodern society, proposes an analysis of the elements present in Gaiman’s novel. By unraveling the main aspects of American gods, a relation will be established alongside the concepts of Stuart Hall (2015) about postmodernity. In this fantasy novel, mythological gods from various pantheons, and modern gods, embodiments of contemporary tendencies, are in a war for survival, a clear metaphor for the dichotomy between modernity and tradition present in the western society. By also considering the reflections of Alan Watts (1951) about human faith, the concepts of postmodernity will be discussed alongside the novel, establishing similarities and contrasts between both perspectives.

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Author Biography

André Karasczuk Taniguchi, Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (UPM)

Mestrando do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Letras pelo Centro de Comunicação e Letras da Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (2019), bolsista pelo programa PROEX-CAPES. Editor Assistente da revista Cadernos de Pós-Graduação em Letras (CPGL), da Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie. Possui bacharel e licenciatura em Letras Português/Inglês, também pela Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie.

References

COUTINHO, E. F. Revisitando o pós-moderno. In: GUINSBURG, J. et al. O pós-modernismo. São Paulo: Perspectiva, 2008. p. 159-172.

GAIMAN, N. American gods. New York: HarperCollins, 2016.

GAIMAN, N. Deuses americanos. Rio de Janeiro: Intrínseca, 2016.

HALL, S. A identidade cultural na pós-modernidade. Rio de Janeiro: Lamparina, 2015.

HUTCHEON, L. A poetics of postmodernism: history, theory, fiction. New York: Routledge, 2002.

NICOL, B. The Cambridge introduction to postmodernist fiction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

WATTS, A. W. The wisdom of insecurity. New York: Random House, 1951.

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Published

2019-12-19

How to Cite

Taniguchi, A. K. (2019). The postmodern society in Neil Gaiman’s American gods. Cadernos De Pós-Graduação Em Letras, 19(3), 61–75. Retrieved from http://editorarevistas.mackenzie.br/index.php/cpgl/article/view/12699

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 3 (2019): Cadernos de Pós-Graduação em Letras

Section

Dossier

License

The copyright of the articles published in Cadernos de Pós-Graduação em Letras belongs to the authors, who grant the Mackenzie Presbyterian University the exclusive rights to publish the content. Total or partial reproduction is prohibited without due authorization from the Editorial Committee, except for study and research.