臺灣的「現代主義」文藝運動是，臺灣社會自覺而積極的追求「現代化」過程的一環。臺灣的「現代主義」小說，由於「文類」的特性，更見證了戰後臺灣企求或面對「現代性」所導致的社會變遷與精神困局。文明社會一體適用的科技，全球經貿對於各種傳統社會的開發，由此引發的世界規模的國際戰爭與以國際性意識型態為名的代理性內戰，戰爭所形成的大遷徙潮，以及都會的逐漸形成，國際大都會以其過度集中的財富與機會，對於遠方異域人士所形成的磁吸作用，……凡此種種都形成了「離散」與「都市化」成為人類生活的常態，傳統「身份」倫理因而崩解，個人逐漸功能化，遊離為「孤絕」而不具「價值」的無意義存在，必須在不斷的社會變遷中尋求一己的認同……。本文透過以上「現代性」現象反觀臺灣「現代主義」小說，對此現象所作的種種呈現、反映與批判，指出它們以抒情手法表現的是一種深沉的道德質疑。

In this essay, Taiwan modernist fiction is regarded as reaction to, thus also a part of, “The Modernization Movement” took place in 1960s Taiwan after World War II. This time period of modernization of economy and society, coming after the restoration of Taiwan and the retreat of the Nationalist government to the island in rapid succession, caused great impact on Taiwan society and culture. In the process of modernization, new spiritual crisis, resulting from a discontinuous society and cultural clashes, began to emerge. Stimulated by their new experiences and urged by sense of emergency, the modernist writers represented and reflected in their work on a variety of phenomena brought about by the wind of modernization, such as modern technology after railway, world war and internationally involved civil war, global trades, urbanization, and the flourish of international metropolitan cities. Meanwhile, they played emphasis on diaspora and alienation caused by industrialization and commercialization. The uprooting of traditional values and social ethics at this time of confusion also became the focus of modernist fiction. The well-known emphasis of new artistic forms and styles of the modernist is in fact effected by their deep concern and anxiety for the time and society. Therefore, through fictional characters and lyrical expressions, of which techniques have been well discussed by scholars, these writers made their responses to the phenomena of modernity and became the Taiwan modernist writers.