The Modernist Short Story

The protagonist Phoenix Jackson from Welty's story
"A Worn Path" makes a difficult journey

In fictional short stories, the Modernist movement reflected individual characters and their personal responses to their environment. You have seen how stream of consciousness affects perception and mood, creating vivid images and emotions that can deeply affect the reader. Much like their poet counterparts, Modernist fiction writers focused on capturing and detailing those insightful moments of contemplation that can change a person's life. Their combinations of concrete images and everyday language spoke to Americans, and contemporary literature still reflects some of the same characteristics. More than ever, literature had become reflective of the human spirit and of American dreams.