Indeed, much of Modernism was dedicated to finding a way to present human experience, such as emotion, consciousness, and perception, more authentically than writers from the school of Realism had done (Eysteinsson 18). This is why the stream of consciousness and internal monologue techniques were so important to Modernist writings; they informed the prose with both a sense of the abstract as well as a feeling of introspection. Often, Modernist prose and poems dropped readers into the worlds of their texts with very little introduction or background (Calinescu 14). This was in direct opposition to the works of realist writers, who often began their stories with lengthy prologues that helped to orient readers within the worlds of their texts. Thus, Modernist writings were often difficult to navigate, and readers were forced to muddle through the confusing landscape in order to uncover the writer's meaning (Eysteinsson 21). In this way, Modernist prose and poetry often had an intense, raw feeling to it, which allowed for a more intimate connection between reader and text (Calinescu 14).
James Joyce is perhaps the best example of a Modernist writer who employed both stream of consciousness and internal monologue within his works to develop an entirely new literary style. His novels A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man, Ulysses, and Finnegan's Wake all represent the kind of chao
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