1. Realism Vs. Naturalism Characteristics and Differences

2. Realism American life as it really is Verisimilitude “Truthful treatment of material”—Howells “mirror the... realities of life” —James Ordinary people in ordinary situations Local color and regional stories

3. Realism Generally middle class characters Subtleties of human personality Situational irony, dramatic irony Moral truths

4. Naturalism Harsher, darker realism Extreme objectivity and frankness Characters dominated by environment and heredity Low social/economic classes Destiny = “misery in life and oblivion in death” (McMichael et al. 7)

5. Naturalism Cosmic irony Truths are illusory Influence of Darwinism Animality of humans Irresistible forces of evolution

6. Summary RealismNaturalism VerisimilitudeHarsher Ordinary peopleEnvironment and heredity Middle classesLower classes Human personalityMisery and death Situational ironyCosmic irony Moral truthsTruths are illusions Optimism & humanismPessimism & determinism