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20Th Century Literary Contributions

The twentieth century and its literary contributions set milestones in what we are accustomed to in today's literature. The turn of the century saw much new advancement in technological fields, intellect, and social situations. With the inventions of mass communication medium, society and its mindset began to evolve into a more complex and intricate state. No longer were the styles and forms of seventeenth century authors going to keep the literary audiences complacent.
A major change that occurred at the beginning of the twentieth century was the wide spread and acquisition of education by all classes. No longer were only the elite and upper echelon of society intellectually equipped to appreciate and interpret works of literature, but the masses were now able to grasp and enjoy it too. The Education Act in 1870 began regulating public education (Greenblatt 2293), and led to a new generation of literate citizens, which by the turn on the century could and would contribute to the changes in the style, language, and form of literature. These changes in education led to the widespread of literature and also new styles and genres because of the new found diversity in the mass audience.
Another major change that came with the turn of the century was the new technological advances. From the Wright Brothers' plane in 1903 to the first mass produced automobile in 1913, the way in which people could travel and share cultures and ideas was becoming easier and more efficient (Greenblatt 2295). Then came along advancements in mass communication with the radio and television, which prompted society's mind to begin to change and crave more diversity in the information it took in. Thus, writings had to adapt to society's changes in order for it to compete with the fast changes of the world and technological advancements in which society was receiving its information and communication.
Furthermore with the new reforms to education, women were fighting for their own...