The twentieth century was an era of radical change. New concepts of inter-personal relations, social structures, political mechanisms, ethics, gender divides, national boundaries, and ethnic awareness challenged and redefined existing values and experiences. These rapid changes—sometimes occurring in the blink of an eye—left us often incapable of grasping what was happening in society but regrets for losses and confusions of sorts. The internet and virtual technology (eg. computer games) also altered perceptions of the world and sense of community and history. Some lifestyles disappeared completely while some social norms and values have been maintained with a great deal of sweat and pain. Although social changes run unrelentingly fast, the meaning of human existence, and our future, cannot be outlined without a consideration for our history. With its mission to create, confirm, and negate the new chapter in history which it opened, twentieth century literature is a rich, diverse subject with much conflict.

二十世紀是個充滿巨變的時代，舉凡人與人的關係、社會結構、家庭倫理、性別界限、國族疆界、族群意識等，都一再挑戰舊有的價值觀與經驗。網路時代的我們，所經歷的改變也轉瞬間成為歷史，有些生活方式徹徹底底的消失了，有些價值卻以另一種形式掙扎地存在。轉變之快速令人目不暇給，但人存在的意義，甚至未來的走向，卻不能不從既有的歷史經驗來評估。人在創造歷史的同時，也不斷透過推翻歷史、質疑歷史（正確性）來找尋個人與社群的新時代座標。