ИСТИНА

Postmodernism is a phenomenon which emerged in France during the 1960s involving arts, architecture, and criticism. Postmodernism includes skeptical interpretations of culture, literature, art, philosophy, history, economics, architecture, fiction, and literary criticism. In Indonesia, postmodern issues became the subject of active discussion rather late, in the 1980s. Nowadays Indonesian researchers classify many authors as postmodernists, for example, Seno Gumira Ajidarma, Putu Wijaya, Ayu Utami, Djenar Maesa Ayu, Intan Paramaditha, Dewi Lestari. Indonesian writers actively use elements of postmodernism (like fragmentation, intertextuality, playfulness, irony and so on) in their fiction. Currently, there are a number of concepts of postmodernism as a cultural phenomenon, and it is still a matter of controversy. Moreover, the question of the integrity of postmodern paradigm in Indonesian literature remains open. The question is, whether Indonesian authors, attracted by a commercial success of postmodernism, only use its certain techniques and elements in their fiction. In this case some acknowledged writings can be viewed as samples of general fiction.