Perspectives

Literary period

Ray Bradbury’s short story “Marionettes, Inc.” was first published in 1949 in the science fiction magazine Starlight Stories and holds postmodern characteristics. The postmodernist literary movement experienced a rise in the post-World War II era and gained popularity all throughout the late twentieth century. Postmodernist works can be recognised through themes, context, and narrative techniques.

The work shows many traits that are common to postmodern literary works. For example, the story has political, social, and philosophical nuances, as it raises questions about the consequences of escapism and misuse of technology. These traits mark conflicts frequently encountered in postmodernist literature: man against technology, and man against reality. Moreover, the...