How History Influences Texts American Realism

American Realist Period (1860 – 1910) A time of tremendous change in the United States During this period, an isolated rural nation transformed into an industrialized world power. Realism is “a strategy for imagining and managing the threats of social change.” Amy Kaplan, Social Construction of American Realism ix

American Realism is a reaction to: Early: The horrors and injustices of slavery The heroism and futility of the fighting on both sides during the Civil War Late: Industrialism, urbanization, immigration America’s rapid growth and ensuing social change

Values of American Realism rejects the unrealistic, idealized world of Romanticism centers its attention on the immediate, the here and now, the specific action and its consequence attempts to document history is interested in psychology and rational philosophy respects science and empirical data

Characteristics of Realist texts Devoted to the accurate representation and an exploration of American lives in various contexts Character is more important than plot. Characters are complex, as are their relationships and motivations. Events of the plot are believable, not fantasy. Diction is natural and regional, not poetic or heightened.

More characteristics of Realist texts The author’s objectivity is valued No overt moralizing Texts aim to depict people as they actually speak and behave. More importantly, they try to offer insight into why they behave that way. Because Realists see life as full of irony, texts are frequently ironic. Ethical choices are often the subject of plots. Situations rarely involve tragic or cataclysmic consequences.

Regionalism Literature that emphasizes a specific geographic setting Based on the fear that rapid changes in the U.S. would destroy the country as it was and leave behind no record Local traditions are valued—literature is an attempt to document and preserve “local color” Makes use of the speech and manners of the people who live in that region

Naturalism Also called “Sordid Realism” Based on Darwinism Central tenet: Human behavior is determined by heredity and environment Our fate is not in our hands Human life is a grim, losing battle Relies on emerging disciplines: Psychology and Sociology Tries to dissect human behavior with the objectivity of a scientist Often focuses on the fringes of society: the criminal, the fallen, the down-and-out Some Naturalists are better thought of as Ironists

The Progression of American Thought Genre American Author Perceived the individual as … Romantics Ralph Waldo Emerson a god Realists Henry James William Dean Howells Mark Twain simply a person Naturalists Stephen Crane Frank Norris a helpless Realist writers use plot and character development to state their philosophy about how much control mankind has over his own destiny.

Bandit's Roost , Jacob Riis, from How the Other Half Lives, 1888. This image is the Bandit's Roost slum at 59½ Mulberry Street, considered one of the most crime-ridden, dangerous parts of New York City. OVERVIEW – What is the overall impression you get from this photograph? PARTS – What are some of the specific details you observe in the photo? TEXT – What does the text say? INTERACTION – How does the text interact with the photo to present an argument? CONCLUSION – Considering all of the above, what is the thesis of the photograph? OPTIC – Five analysis questions for any visual argument