Perspectives

Literary period

Published in 2016, Eileen Merriman’s short story “I Dare You” 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 “I Dare You”, we notice that the author explores universal themes like female adolescence and ignoring the consequences of one’s actions, issues which are often addressed by postmodernist writers.

In terms of narrative techniques, “I Dare You” by Eileen Merriman uses relatable characters and hints that the narrator might be unreliable, as she states that some of her memories are unclear. These narrative techniques are often used by postmodernist writers.

The story also focuses on descriptions of the characters and of the physical set...