Perspectives

Literary period

Published in 1996, the short story fits the literary movement we call Postmodernism which defines most of the literature published since the 1960s. Postmodernist works can be recognised through themes, context, and narrative techniques. The themes and context of postmodernist works usually concern post-industrial societies and are often contemporary to the authors. In “The Stack”, we notice that the short story explores the themes of unadaptability and family dysfunction in a time contemporary with the author (the 1990s).

In terms of postmodernist narrative techniques, “The Stack” focuses on describing the setting, the events, and the protagonist’s feelings and thoughts but does not express a clear message or draw a final conclusion. Rose Tremain ...