Postmodern fiction emerged in the mid-20th century as authors began to question and deconstruct traditional narrative conventions. This genre is characterized by its self-awareness, fragmented narratives, unreliable narrators, and deliberate blurring of the line between fiction and reality. Postmodern authors often break the fourth wall, comment on the act of writing itself, and challenge readers' expectations about how stories should be told. The genre reflects a world where absolute truth is questioned, reality is subjective, and meaning is constructed rather than discovered. Authors like Thomas Pynchon, Don DeLillo, and David Foster Wallace use postmodern techniques to explore themes of consumer culture, information overload, and the fragmentation of modern life.