ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Modernist literature

Modernist literature was a style of writing that was popular in the early 20th century. It was very different from the stories that people used to write before this time.

Before modernist literature, stories were usually straightforward and easy to understand. They had a clear beginning, middle and end, and the characters behaved in ways that made sense.

Modernist literature, however, was often more confusing and difficult to understand. The stories could be told in a way that was not linear, meaning that they didn't always go from start to finish. Sometimes, you might have to read it more than once to understand what was really happening.

The characters in modernist literature were also different than before. They might not have clear motivations for why they acted the way they did, and they might be unsure of their place in the world.

Overall, modernist literature was a style of writing that broke away from the traditional stories that people were used to. It was confusing and challenging to read, but also very interesting and unique.