Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R):

Assertion A: Postmodern narratives focus on the indeterminate and unstable nature of textuality and subjectivity.
Reason R: Postmodern narrative acts regard narratives and characters as tentative representations of writing and identity.

Correct option is A

Explanation:

Postmodern narratives are characterized by their emphasis on instability, ambiguity, and the rejection of fixed meanings, both in textual structures and in the nature of identity.

1. Assertion A is true: Postmodernism challenges notions of stable narratives or subjectivities, viewing texts and identities as fluid and constructed rather than fixed or essential.

2. Reason R is true: In postmodern narratives, characters and plots are often used as experimental devices, reflecting the tentative and constructed nature of meaning, identity, and representation in writing. This aligns with the focus on narrative instability described in A.

Since Reason R explains why postmodern narratives focus on indeterminate textuality and subjectivity, R is the correct explanation for A.

Information Booster:

1. Indeterminate Textuality: Postmodern texts often feature fragmented structures, open endings, and metafictional elements, emphasizing textual instability.
2. Tentative Representations: Characters and narratives are depicted as constructs rather than representations of real-world entities.
3. Postmodern Writers: Authors like Thomas Pynchon, Don DeLillo, and Italo Calvino often employ these techniques to question traditional narrative conventions.