The Problem of Identity in American Postmodern Fiction

Abstract

Identity is one of the controversial notions in American Postmodern fiction. It gains importance as it becomes problematic in post-WWII America, due to the circumstances that characterized America in that period. Kurt Vonnegut is considered one of the best writers who tackles the issue of identity in depth especially in his novel Breakfast of Champions (1973). This study aims at investigating the issue of identity from different perspectives by using the sociological, psychological and existential methods. It also aims at showing Vonnegut’s view on the American society, the individual’s mind set and the process of identity construction and deconstruction after the Second World War.