A Metamodern-aesthetic Analysis of the Novel and the Film Adaptation of the Measuring the World

The changes brought about by technological developments manifest themselves in all areas of life. Humanity continues to undergo a transformation in many respects due to the technology—ranging from modes of thinking to ways of living. The changeover from the the Classical era to the modernity, followed by the transition to postmodernism clearly illustrates this ongoing transformation. Nowadays, even as postmodernism remains a subject of ongoing debate, a new paradigm has begun to emerge, particularly with technology and digitalization. This study first outlines the theoretical frameworks of the approaches after postmodernism and their main focuses in general. After an evaluation of their aesthetic and literary characteristics, particular focus will be given to the novel Measuring the World (Die Vermessung der Welt) by Daniel Kehlmann— one of the prominent authors in contemporary German literature—and its film adaptation, analyzed through the metamodern aesthetics. Although Kehlmann is widely regarded as a postmodern author and the novel is often labeled as postmodern, this study reconsiders both within the conceptual framework of metamodernism. This study will assess how far the novel and its film adaptation align with metamodernism through immanent textual analysis. Ultimately, this study aims to emphasize that Measuring the World and its author should not be interpreted solely through the lens of postmodernism, but rather reevaluated in light of post-postmodern paradigms. So, this work seeks to lay the groundwork for further research on metamodernism and Kehlmann as a metamodern author.