Maisy's mock

Postmodernism is a direct reaction to the grand narratives of progress on which Modernity is based upon – the logical idea of a progress in the knowledge we as humans have through things such as science and technology. With a lack of faith grand narratives, which Lyotard suggests, causes the start of postmodernism as a response to the structure of Modernity. With the boundaries and barriers holding grand narratives together gone, postmodern allows a new way to create and produce. It causes a change in narratives too, such as in Disney animated film Wreck It Ralph, in which the protagonist breaks conventions of being the villain by being the hero of the film, and also by wanting to be the hero of the story and being self aware. The film also blurs the genre boxes by using various elements of genres including sci-fi to make a hybrid image and therefore a hybrid narrative storyline. With postmodernism being the lack of faith in anything new, any progress, Wreck It Ralph supports Jameson’s theory of no idea being new, and therefore everything now has been ‘culturally recycled’ – Wreck It Ralph uses nostalgia as a marketing point as it uses characters from the 1980s game Fix It Felix Jr. This also works not only to be aesthetically pleasing to young children – its main target audience, but also to adults of whom will be experiencing the characters and gaming world again, though through a different and developed way. Image is a crucial part of the rebranding in Wreck It Ralph; in the same way that image is important in the advertising and production of singer and concept Nicki Minaj, as Jameson’s theory suggests postmodern texts are style over substance, as her image and personas are better selling points than her actual music. Baudrillard’s postmodern theory of our world is now a simulated version of reality can be found in both Wreck It Ralph and also Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror episode 15 Million Merits. In Wreck It Ralph, the simulated world in which the characters inhabit is set in the ‘real world’, which still to the audience is simulated as it is animated. A vivid use of simulacrum can be found in the character Ralph himself, as his physical traits are reminiscent of the actor who voices him. This directly blurs the line between reality and the hyper-real. In 15 Million Merits, the characters Bing and Abi exist in a totally simulated world, where Dubord’s theory of the society of the spectacle’ is suggested as the characters lives are connected via the digital technology around them, which ultimately determines and controls their lives, as seen when they can’t remove advertisements playing in their rooms. Nicki Minaj also supports Baudrillard’s theory shown through the use of backing dancers being dressed like Minaj herself in Superbass to show a hyper real situation. Her consistent use of multiple personalities also shows a definitive use of bricolage of other artists and pastiche as characters such as ‘Black Barbie’ are presented in her music as well as the marketing oh her image. Some texts are purposefully postmodern in an attempt to make the audience think about the current pop cultural society we live in and to often reflect the world we live in, in hyperbole situations. This can be argued through Dubord in 15 Million Merits as the virtual dominated relationship Bing and Abi share through their avatars is reflective of the lives we lead on social networking sites such as Facebook where ‘real life’ is simulated through editing and simulacra of who we really are. The dystopian narrative of 15 Million Merits as well as the philosophical ideas on society behind it shows the lack of faith, which Lyotard argued was a main point in the growth of a postmodern culture.