Berman
Berman is the author of this text and writes as himself. He has a clear, academic voice in the text and is seeking to find out the true meaning of modernity, and how people can live successfully in the modern age. In the final section of the book, Berman tells us about his own experiences of modernity in New York, offering a personal element to this otherwise academic text.
Faust
The eponymous Faust, from Goethe’s tragic play, is referred to in the beginning section of the text. Berman argues that Faust is a modernist text and explores the relationship between the play and modern technology.
Baudelaire
Berman explores the works of the French symbolist poet Baudelaire, and his depiction of modern Paris in his poetry.
Robert Moses
Berman refers to the work of Robert Moses, who was involved in urban planning in New York City. He blames Moses for the implementation of the damaging expressway in the Bronx, which destroyed boulevards and people’s livelihoods.
