The 20th century saw a dramatic evolution in fiction, marked by diverse styles and themes. Writers like Virginia Woolf, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and James Joyce explored new narrative techniques, including stream of consciousness and unreliable narrators. This period also witnessed the rise of modernism, which challenged traditional storytelling and focused on the complexities of human experience. Additionally, post-World War II literature introduced movements such as postmodernism, characterized by irony, playfulness, and a questioning of reality. Authors like Thomas Pynchon and Kurt Vonnegut often blurred the lines between fiction and reality, reflecting the uncertainties of contemporary life.