I took Modern American Lit this semester and we did study postmodernism work. However, the stories that we read were completely different than the Pink Institution. This sort of confused me on how to go about writing a piece of post modernism work, but I think the truth of the matter is, there is no one way to write a post modern piece. I have attempted to write a poem where there are three different stanzas. I tried to keep the subjects of each stanza separate while making the entire piece about one subject (that's where the unity comes in). Here is my attempt:
Commercial Institution
alarm systems blaring
winding steps leaving you
in the midst of nowhere land
noises provided by the stranger
guests awaiting downstairs
work work work
always on the go
never a day off
off the wall
constantly tied up
prized possessions fill
this empty carcass
a symphony of sounds,
lights, people, visions
none of which are
typically a home
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I also would like to say a few things about the Pink Institution. While I don't think this would be my first choice for a book I would like to read for leisure reading, I am glad that I did read it. It completely took me by surprise, as this is a way of writing I had never really seen before, and if I did, it really meant nothing to me. I think the book definitely had some interesting components, like incorporating documents from an inaugural ball and other historical documents. However, I found it so difficult to really be engulfed by this book. I like to emotionally connect with something I'm reading, and while I would be able to do that in each chapter, I found it so difficult to keep those pieces together as I read on. I kept having to go back and re-read different chapters just to remind myself of who was who and what had happened to that character. I appreciate the experience of reading this but it just made reading (which is something I really enjoy) too much of a task.
