Perspectives

Literary period

Published in 1998, the short story “Beggarland” by Alan Sillitoe fits the literary movement we call Postmodernism, which defines most literature published since the 1960s. Postmodernist works can be recognised through themes, context, and narrative techniques. In “Beggarland”, we notice that the author explores universal themes like compromise, an issue often addressed by postmodernist writers.

In terms of postmodernist narrative techniques, “Beggarland” by Alan Sillitoe hints that the narrator might be unreliable, as he often conveys the protagonist’s biased point of view. It also focuses on the description of the events but does not express a clear message. Readers must work out alternative meanings and provide their own interp...