American Realism,
Regionalism, and Naturalism
1860-1920(ish)
What is Realism?
A faithful representation of reality in literature, also known as “verisimilitude” (the appearance of truth, the quality of truth)Emphasis on development of believable characters.Written in natural vernacular, or dialect.Prominent from 1860-1890.
Realism
Realism sought to portray life as faithfully and accurately as possible, focusing on ordinary people suffering the harsh realties of everyday life. It depicts ordinary people coping with everyday realities.Authors included Mark Twain, Henry James, Edith Wharton, Willa Cather, and DunbarThe Literature
Presented life objectivelyFavored science and technologyFound meaning in the mundaneFocused on socials ills and social conflict
Elements of Realism
Rejection of the idealized, larger-than-life hero of Romantic LiteratureDetailed depiction of ordinary characters and realistic eventsEmphasis on characters from cities and lower classesAvoidance of the exotic, sensational, and overly dramaticUse of everyday speech patterns to reveal class distinctionsFocus on the ethical struggles and social issues of real-life situationsSought to explain why ordinary people behave the way they do
Realist Writers
Mark Twain
William Dean Howells
Henry James
Edgar Lee Masters
Why did Realism develop?
The Civil War
The urbanization and industrialization of America
As a reaction to Romanticism
Increasing rates of democracy and literacy
The emerging middle class
Upheaval and social change in the latter half of the 19th century
What is Regionalism?
Often called “local color.”
Focuses on characters, dialect, customs, topography, and other features specific to a certain region (eg. the South)
Coincided with Realism and sharing many of the same traits.
Prominent from 1865-1895.
Regionalist Writers
Kate Chopin—South
Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman—New England
Mark Twain—West
Willa Cather—Midwest
Why did Regionalism develop?
Dual influence of Romanticism and Realism
The Civil War and the building of a national identity
An outgrowth of realism with more focus on a particular setting and its influence over characters
What is Naturalism?
Applied scientific principles of objectivity and detachment to the study of human beings.Influenced by Darwinism (natural selection) and psychology (Freud)Posited that individuals were governed by heredity and environment.Often depict man in conflict with nature, society, or himself.Prominent from 1880-1920(ish)
Naturalism
Influenced by emerging disciplines of psychology and sociologyAttempt to analyze human behavior objectively, as a scientist wouldBelief that human behavior is determined by heredity and environmentSense that human beings cannot control their own destiniesSense of life as a losing battle against an uncaring universe
Naturalist Writers
Stephen CraneAmbrose BierceJack LondonEdwin Arlington RobinsonKatherine Anne PorterCharlotte Perkins GilmanEdith Wharton
Why did Naturalism develop?
The swell of immigrants in the latter half of the 19th century, which led to a larger lower class and increased poverty in the cities
The prominence of psychology and the theories of Sigmund Freud
Pessimism in the wake of the Civil War and Reconstruction
Publication of Charles Darwin’s Origin of the Species
Points to Remember…
Realism, Regionalism, and Naturalism are intertwined and connected.Their influence has dominated most literature created since 1920, though the movement itself is dated to roughly that point.They are truly American modes of writing.
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