American LiteratureAmerican LiteratureRealism, Regionalism Realism, Regionalism

and Naturalismand NaturalismRealism, n. The art of depicting nature Realism, n. The art of depicting nature

as it is seen by toads. The charm as it is seen by toads. The charm suffusing a landscape painted by a suffusing a landscape painted by a

mole, or a story written by a measuring-mole, or a story written by a measuring-worm. --Ambrose Bierce worm. --Ambrose Bierce The Devil's The Devil's

DictionaryDictionary (1911) (1911)

Realism Realism

literary movement that developed literary movement that developed towards the end of the Civil War towards the end of the Civil War and stressed the actual (reality) as and stressed the actual (reality) as opposed to the imagined or opposed to the imagined or fancifulfanciful

Realism - Characteristics Realism - Characteristics

Ordinary characters in ordinary Ordinary characters in ordinary situations; “real life”situations; “real life”

Character more important than Character more important than action and plotaction and plot

Complex ethical choices are often Complex ethical choices are often the subject.the subject.

Realism - CharacteristicsRealism - Characteristics

Class is important; the novel has Class is important; the novel has traditionally served the interests and traditionally served the interests and aspirations of an insurgent (rebel) aspirations of an insurgent (rebel) middle class.middle class.

Diction is natural vernacular, not Diction is natural vernacular, not heightened or poetic; tone may be heightened or poetic; tone may be comic, satiric, or matter-of-fact.comic, satiric, or matter-of-fact.

Why did this literary Why did this literary movement come about?movement come about?

A reaction against RomanticismA reaction against Romanticism– rejected heroic, adventurous, or rejected heroic, adventurous, or

unfamiliar subjectsunfamiliar subjects

The harsh reality of frontier life and The harsh reality of frontier life and the Civil War shattered the nation’s the Civil War shattered the nation’s idealismidealism

Romance and Realism: Taste Romance and Realism: Taste and Classand Class

Romance Romance Aspired to the ideal Aspired to the ideal Thought to be Thought to be

more genteel since more genteel since it did not show the it did not show the vulgar details of vulgar details of lifelife

Realism Realism Thought to be more Thought to be more

democratic democratic Critics stressed the Critics stressed the

potential for potential for vulgarity and its vulgarity and its emphasis on the emphasis on the commonplace commonplace

Potential “poison” Potential “poison” for the pure of mindfor the pure of mind

How did this literary movement How did this literary movement prevail?prevail?

The Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution

– economic, social, and political changes economic, social, and political changes that took place in post-war life allowed that took place in post-war life allowed American Realism to succeedAmerican Realism to succeed

Who are the Realists?Who are the Realists?

Mark TwainMark Twain

Ambrose BierceAmbrose Bierce

Stephen CraneStephen Crane

Willa CatherWilla Cather

Henry JamesHenry James

Regionalism CharacteristicsRegionalism Characteristics

Local stories that focus on the Local stories that focus on the characters, dialect, customs, and other characters, dialect, customs, and other features particular to a specific region.features particular to a specific region.

Use dialectUse dialect Detailed descriptions Detailed descriptions Use a frame story in which the narrator Use a frame story in which the narrator

hears some tale of the regionhears some tale of the region Stereotypical characters with Stereotypical characters with

personality traits central to the region.personality traits central to the region.

Regionalism CharacteristicsRegionalism Characteristics

Usually, narrator is educated Usually, narrator is educated observer from outside, serving as observer from outside, serving as mediator between the rural folk of mediator between the rural folk of the tale & the urban audience to the tale & the urban audience to whom the tale is directedwhom the tale is directed

Conflict between urban ways & old-Conflict between urban ways & old-fashioned rural values is often fashioned rural values is often symbolized by intrusion of outsider symbolized by intrusion of outsider who seeks something from the who seeks something from the communitycommunity

Naturalism Naturalism

literary movement that was an literary movement that was an extension of Realismextension of Realism

depicted real people in real depicted real people in real situations like realism, but situations like realism, but believed that forces larger than believed that forces larger than the individual – nature, fate, the individual – nature, fate, heredity – shaped individual heredity – shaped individual destinydestiny

Naturalism - Characteristics Naturalism - Characteristics

characters:characters:– usually ill-educated or lower-classusually ill-educated or lower-class

– lives governed by the forces of heredity, lives governed by the forces of heredity, instinct, passion, or the environmentinstinct, passion, or the environment

– the criminal, the fallen, the down-and-the criminal, the fallen, the down-and-outout

Naturalism - CharacteristicsNaturalism - Characteristics

ThemesThemes– Survival (man against nature, man Survival (man against nature, man

against himself)against himself)– Determinism (nature as an indifferent Determinism (nature as an indifferent

force on the lives of human beings)force on the lives of human beings)

– ViolenceViolence Frequently urban settingFrequently urban setting

Themes:Themes:

The "brute within" The "brute within" The indifference of nature The indifference of nature The forces of "heredity and The forces of "heredity and

environment" (one's background or environment" (one's background or environment) environment)

An indifferent, deterministic universe An indifferent, deterministic universe (lack of free will or agency) (lack of free will or agency)

NaturalismNaturalism Conflicts Conflicts

Nature is an indifferent force acting Nature is an indifferent force acting on the lives of human beingson the lives of human beings

Characters struggle to retain a Characters struggle to retain a “veneer of civilization” despite “veneer of civilization” despite external pressures that threaten to external pressures that threaten to release the “brute within”release the “brute within”

The "brute within"—which is the notion The "brute within"—which is the notion that everyone has "strong and often that everyone has "strong and often warring emotions: passions, such as lust, warring emotions: passions, such as lust, greed, or the desire for dominance or greed, or the desire for dominance or pleasure," leading to behavior pleasure," leading to behavior considered taboo by society. considered taboo by society. Encountering the indifferent universe can Encountering the indifferent universe can cause this brute to rise up, often in cause this brute to rise up, often in violent ways. Students will likely see violent ways. Students will likely see similarities to certain comic book heroes similarities to certain comic book heroes like The Incredible Hulk. like The Incredible Hulk.

The indifference of nature as man The indifference of nature as man struggles to survive. struggles to survive.

The influence of "heredity and The influence of "heredity and environment" (or one's background environment" (or one's background and surroundings) on the and surroundings) on the development of a person. This development of a person. This emphasizes the difficulty of moving emphasizes the difficulty of moving between or mixing social classes between or mixing social classes (even if successful, the repercussions (even if successful, the repercussions can be tremendous). can be tremendous). Determinism: the inability to express Determinism: the inability to express free will or personal agencyfree will or personal agency

Who are the Naturalists?Who are the Naturalists?

Jack LondonJack London

Stephen CraneStephen Crane

Bret HarteBret Harte