THE RISE OF REALISM: “The only reason for the existence of a novel is that it does attempt to represent life.” -Henry James Prisoners from the Front, Winslow Homer, 1922.

REALISM: A “VERY MINUTE FIDELITY” Realism – dominated fiction in America from the late 19 th century until the middle of the 20 th. The Realists: were writers who sought to portray real life without filtering it through personal feelings, romanticism, or idealism; wanted to be as accurate as possible when depicting people, places, and things. [Think of Realism as the photography of writing.]

A REACTION TO ROMANTICISM Realism is a reaction to idealized “romantic” novels of the previous period. Romanticism Recall: Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau. Fallen Monarchs, William Bliss Backer, 1886.

CHARACTERISTICS Realistic writing is characterized by: honest, believable characters; realistic dialogue; events in the story that seem possible in real life; characters that are driven by real motives and emotions; characters that don’t change without sufficient reason; objectivity. Young Soldier, Winslow Homer, 1861.

REALISM VS. ROMANTICISM RealismRomanticism Characters are ordinary people Characters are “larger than life” The language is common vernacular (ordinary speech and dialect) The language is of a more elevated style Settings exist or are based on actual places Settings are often fictional or exotic and mysterious (or both) Plot is developed with ordinary events and circumstances Plot is developed by unusual events, mystery, or high adventure Attempts to be objectiveHighly subjective

THE CIVIL WAR Casualties, Federal: 664,928 Confederate: 483,026 Battles destroyed farms and homes. Cities were bombarded and burned. Sherman’s March to the Sea Suddenly, life wasn’t so nice. The romantic heroes of the past weren’t cutting it anymore. Four dead soldiers in the woods near Little Round Top, Alexander Gardner, 1863.

THE CIVIL WAR, CONT. Journalistic accounts of the Civil War developed a taste for realistic writing. Increased use of photography also helped shaped America’s taste for realistic depictions. Body of a Confederate Soldier Near Mrs. Alsop's House, 1864.

NATURALISM Naturalism holds the same view as Realism with the addition of: Man has LITTLE control over his fate; Life is NEVER perfect; problems exist in society; Life is ALMOST NEVER fair; Good ALMOST NEVER wins over Evil; Hiding in the Haycocks, William Bliss Baker, Nature does not care about the plight of man.

NATURALISM, CONT. A man said to the universe: “Sir, I exist!” “However,” replied the universe, “The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation.” - Stephen Crane How does this poem espouse the tenants of Naturalism?

REGIONALISM Regionalism has ALL the characteristics of Realism PLUS: using regional dialects; descriptions of a local area or region; local cultures and customs. Writers attempt to make the reader feel they’ve been to an area without actually going there. Champions of the Mississippi, Currier & Ives.