Which two techniques did modernist writers experiment with?

• A. Metaphysical speculation and magical realism
• B. Shifting points of view and the stream-of-consciousness narration
• C. Creating long, ornate sentences
• D. Strict third-person omniscient narration only

Answer: (B)

Two techniques modernist writers experimented with are shifting points of view and stream-of-consciousness narration. By moving the narrative focus among different characters or perspectives, writers show events through multiple angles, highlighting subjectivity rather than a single, objective truth. Stream-of-consciousness narration dives into a character’s inner life—thoughts, sensations, and associations—often in a nonlinear or unfiltered flow, capturing how consciousness actually processes experience. Together, these methods reflect the modernist interest in fragmentation, ambiguity, and the complexities of modern life, rather than a single, stable viewpoint.

This differs from options that pair metaphysical speculation with magical realism, which isn’t a defining modernist technique; or from creating long, ornate sentences, which many modernists actually varied in and sometimes avoided in favor of experimental or economical styles; or from sticking to strict third-person omniscient narration, which modernists frequently challenged by privileging interiority and shifting viewpoints.