Postmodern representation of reality in Chuck Palahniuk’s fiction

Abstract

The article gives an outlook of some works by Chuck Palahniuk, a modern American writer, who writes in the genre of alternative prose. As a postmodern author Palahniuk widely uses such features of postmodernism as irony, black humour, parody, simulacra&simulation, pastiche, metafiction, fragmentation and non-linear narratives, paranoia and so on.Palahniuk’s works above all else represent sharp social satire. The characters are often marginals alienated by society and reacting with self-destructive aggressiveness(‘transgressional fiction’ according to the author).Palahniuk is a master of depicting the dark and depraved underbelly of our society through the voices of mordantly existential protagonists. He dissects tumours of society in a most outrageous way, protesting against its hypocrisy, as well as uprising against unspirituality of modern way of life.