The Age of RealismThe Age of Realism

The Literature of the Late The Literature of the Late Nineteenth CenturyNineteenth Century

The Age of Realism: The Age of Realism: Marked by the End of the Civil Marked by the End of the Civil

War: 1861-1865War: 1861-1865

• Cost of the Civil WarCost of the Civil War• The Human CostThe Human Cost

• 1,094,543 Casualties1,094,543 Casualties• The North lost one out of tenThe North lost one out of ten

• 110,100 in battle110,100 in battle• 224,580 to disease224,580 to disease

• The South lost one out of fourThe South lost one out of four• 94,000 in battle94,000 in battle• 64,000 to disease64,000 to disease

• Two percent of US population died in the Civil War, with Two percent of US population died in the Civil War, with only WWII claiming more lives;only WWII claiming more lives;

• Economic CostEconomic Cost• Estimated at 6.6 billion, which would be 165 billion Estimated at 6.6 billion, which would be 165 billion

todaytoday

By the end of the Civil WarBy the end of the Civil War

• The Emancipation Proclamation and 13The Emancipation Proclamation and 13thth Amendment had abolished slaveryAmendment had abolished slavery

• The industrial North had defeated the The industrial North had defeated the agrarian Southagrarian South

• Social order grew based on mass labor Social order grew based on mass labor and mass consumption;and mass consumption;• Steam power replaced water powerSteam power replaced water power• Machines replaced hand laborMachines replaced hand labor

• The Industrial Revolution had begunThe Industrial Revolution had begun

The Effects of The Industrial The Effects of The Industrial RevolutionRevolution

• Migration from rural to urban areasMigration from rural to urban areas• Independent, skilled workers Independent, skilled workers

replaced by semi-skilled laborers;replaced by semi-skilled laborers;• Large corporations were Large corporations were

established, devaluing the established, devaluing the personal relationship between personal relationship between management and workers or management and workers or company and customers.company and customers.

Political UpheavalPolitical Upheaval

• Political power shifted to the laboring Political power shifted to the laboring classes;classes;

• Political patronage and graft caused Political patronage and graft caused civic corruption;civic corruption;

• The power of the federal government The power of the federal government expanded during the Civil War;expanded during the Civil War;• National conscription laws;National conscription laws;• Federal income taxes levied;Federal income taxes levied;• Paper money backed by federal government Paper money backed by federal government

rather than individual states issued.rather than individual states issued.

Mass Communication and Mass Communication and MigrationMigration

• Coast-to-coast communicationCoast-to-coast communication• Pony Express (1860)—10 daysPony Express (1860)—10 days

Telegraph (1861)—just seconds to Telegraph (1861)—just seconds to communicate across countrycommunicate across countryTransatlantic telegraph cable (1866) Transatlantic telegraph cable (1866) allowed instant communicate with Europeallowed instant communicate with Europe

Telephone patented (1867)Telephone patented (1867)By 1900, 1.3 million telephones in U.S.By 1900, 1.3 million telephones in U.S.

Coast-to-coast travelCoast-to-coast travelTranscontinental Railroad (1869)Transcontinental Railroad (1869)By 1889, coast-to-coast travel—4 daysBy 1889, coast-to-coast travel—4 days

Transcontinental RailroadSamuel Morse: Inventor of the

Telegraph

Alexander Graham Bell

Effects of Transcontinental Effects of Transcontinental MobilityMobility

• Increased commercial developmentIncreased commercial development• Farm and ranching products available Farm and ranching products available

nation widenation wide• National retail organizations undersold National retail organizations undersold

local shop keeperslocal shop keepers• Richard Sears and Montgomery WardsRichard Sears and Montgomery Wards• Ready-made goods and clothes less Ready-made goods and clothes less

expensive than local, hand-produced waresexpensive than local, hand-produced wares• Time zones reduced from 56 to 4 in Time zones reduced from 56 to 4 in

18831883

Other Social ChangesOther Social Changes• Migration westward expanded the U.S. from Migration westward expanded the U.S. from

the Atlantic to the Pacificthe Atlantic to the Pacific• Native American populations displaced and Native American populations displaced and

subjugated;subjugated;• Growth of IndustryGrowth of Industry

• Steelmaking, the nation’s dominant industrySteelmaking, the nation’s dominant industry• Alternating electrical current (1886)Alternating electrical current (1886)• American petroleum industry beginsAmerican petroleum industry begins

• Growth of populationGrowth of population• Total population doubled from 1870 to 1890Total population doubled from 1870 to 1890• National income quadrupledNational income quadrupled• Gap between rich and poor widenedGap between rich and poor widened

Civil Rights ChangedCivil Rights Changed• Reconstruction in the South ends by 1877Reconstruction in the South ends by 1877

• Poll taxes and literacy tests disqualified black votersPoll taxes and literacy tests disqualified black voters• Separate and unequal schools createdSeparate and unequal schools created• White supremacy re-establishedWhite supremacy re-established

• Women’s rights increaseWomen’s rights increase• More women entered the workforceMore women entered the workforce• All female colleges were formed: Vassar, Wellesley and All female colleges were formed: Vassar, Wellesley and

SmithSmith• Women gained the right to vote in 1922Women gained the right to vote in 1922

• Foreign immigration increasesForeign immigration increases• By 1910, one-third of largest cities foreign-bornBy 1910, one-third of largest cities foreign-born

• Need for public education increasesNeed for public education increases• The Morrill Acct of 1862—land given to states for The Morrill Acct of 1862—land given to states for

establishment of “land-grant” universitiesestablishment of “land-grant” universities

Intellectual Revolution: Intellectual Revolution: Changes in Thinking brought Changes in Thinking brought about by Changes in Societyabout by Changes in Society

• Changes in scienceChanges in science• Changes in psychologyChanges in psychology• Changes in philosophyChanges in philosophy

Science: Charles DarwinScience: Charles Darwin• Published Published The Origin of The Origin of

SpeciesSpecies, , • Hypothesized that man Hypothesized that man

is the product of is the product of evolution, evolution,

• Man is special not Man is special not because God created because God created him in His image, him in His image,

• but because man had but because man had successfully adapted to successfully adapted to changing environmental changing environmental conditions conditions

• and had passed on his and had passed on his survival-making survival-making characteristics to his characteristics to his progeny.progeny.

Psychology: Sigmund Psychology: Sigmund FreudFreud

• Believed that the mind Believed that the mind could be understood in could be understood in terms of repressed terms of repressed urges, usually sexual;urges, usually sexual;

• Theorized an Theorized an unconscious system of unconscious system of ideas that governs ideas that governs human reactions and human reactions and response;response;

• Id, Ego, and Super-egoId, Ego, and Super-ego

Philosophy: Karl MarxPhilosophy: Karl Marx

• Explained human Explained human history as the history as the result of class result of class struggles;struggles;

• Human identity is Human identity is defined by social defined by social context;context;

• It is human nature It is human nature to transform to transform nature.nature.

Philosophy: American Philosophy: American PragmatismPragmatism

• Truth is tested by its Truth is tested by its usefulness or practical usefulness or practical consequences;consequences;

• Truth is a commodity Truth is a commodity accessible on the surface accessible on the surface of things;of things;

• It’s perceptible to the It’s perceptible to the senses and verifiable senses and verifiable through experience;through experience;

• Permanent truths exist Permanent truths exist apart from the material apart from the material world—the mind of God, world—the mind of God, Plato’s ideal formsPlato’s ideal forms

William James

From these social changes From these social changes come two literary come two literary

movementsmovements

• Realism, Realism, • first begun as the local color first begun as the local color

movementmovement

• NaturalismNaturalism

RealismRealism

• Begins in France, as Begins in France, as realisme,realisme, a literary a literary doctrine calling for “reality and truth in doctrine calling for “reality and truth in the depiction of ordinary life.”the depiction of ordinary life.”• Grounded in the belief that there is an Grounded in the belief that there is an

objective reality which can be portrayed objective reality which can be portrayed with truth and accuracy as the goal;with truth and accuracy as the goal;

• The writer does not select facts in accord The writer does not select facts in accord with preconceived ideals, but rather sets with preconceived ideals, but rather sets down observations impartially and down observations impartially and objectively.objectively.

A Reaction against A Reaction against RomanticismRomanticism

• These authors These authors sought to portray sought to portray life as they saw it, life as they saw it, insisting that the insisting that the ordinary and local ordinary and local were just as were just as suitable for art as suitable for art as the sublime.the sublime.

““Nothing more and nothing less than the Nothing more and nothing less than the truthful treatment of material. “ William truthful treatment of material. “ William

Dean HowellsDean Howells

Realism began in America as Realism began in America as Local ColorLocal Color

• A synthesis of romantic plots and A synthesis of romantic plots and realistic descriptions of things;realistic descriptions of things;

• Definition of Local Color:Definition of Local Color:• Literature that focuses on the Literature that focuses on the

characters, dialect, customs, characters, dialect, customs, topography, and other features topography, and other features particular to a specific region that particular to a specific region that exploits the speech, dress, exploits the speech, dress, mannerisms, and habits of that mannerisms, and habits of that specific region .specific region .

Characteristics of Local ColorCharacteristics of Local Color

• Setting—often remote and usually Setting—often remote and usually integral to the story;integral to the story;

• Characters—more concerned with the Characters—more concerned with the character of the region than an character of the region than an individual—quaint, stereotypical;individual—quaint, stereotypical;• Narrator-- an educated observer from the Narrator-- an educated observer from the

world beyond who’s often deceivedworld beyond who’s often deceived• Emphasis on dialectEmphasis on dialect• Use of stock charactersUse of stock characters

• Plot—nothing much happens, revolves Plot—nothing much happens, revolves around the community and its ritualsaround the community and its rituals

Themes in Local ColorThemes in Local Color

• Dislike of change, nostalgia for an Dislike of change, nostalgia for an always-past Golden Age;always-past Golden Age;

• Triumphant trickster or trickster Triumphant trickster or trickster tricked;tricked;

• Tall tale-tradition, conflicts Tall tale-tradition, conflicts described humorously, larger than described humorously, larger than lifelife

Characteristics of RealismCharacteristics of Realism• Subject matter—ordinary people and events;Subject matter—ordinary people and events;• Purpose—Verisimilitude, the truthful Purpose—Verisimilitude, the truthful

representation of life;representation of life;• Point of View—omniscient and objectivePoint of View—omniscient and objective• Characters—middle class, psychological Characters—middle class, psychological

realismrealism• Plot de-emphasizedPlot de-emphasized

• Focus on everyday lifeFocus on everyday life• Complex ethical choices often the subjectComplex ethical choices often the subject• Events are made to seem the inevitable result of Events are made to seem the inevitable result of

characters’ choicescharacters’ choices

Themes in RealismThemes in Realism

• Humans control their destiniesHumans control their destinies• characters act on their environment characters act on their environment

rather than simply reacting to it.rather than simply reacting to it.

• Slice-of-life techniqueSlice-of-life technique• often ends without traditional formal often ends without traditional formal

closure, leaving much untold to closure, leaving much untold to suggest man’s limited ability to make suggest man’s limited ability to make sense of his life.sense of his life.

Naturalism: A Harsher Naturalism: A Harsher RealismRealism

Definition: A literature that depicts Definition: A literature that depicts social problems and views humans social problems and views humans as victims of larger biological, as victims of larger biological, psychological and social and psychological and social and economic forces.economic forces.• Scientific determinismScientific determinism• Psychological determinismPsychological determinism• Historical determinism Historical determinism

Scientific, Biological or Scientific, Biological or Darwinian DeterminismDarwinian Determinism

• Man has no direct control over who or Man has no direct control over who or what he is. His fate is determined by what he is. His fate is determined by outside forces that can be discovered outside forces that can be discovered through scientific inquiry;through scientific inquiry;

• Humans respond to environmental forces Humans respond to environmental forces and internal stresses and drives, none of and internal stresses and drives, none of which can be fully controlled or which can be fully controlled or understoodunderstood• People are driven by fundamental urges like People are driven by fundamental urges like

fear, hunger, sexfear, hunger, sex• The world is a “competitive jungle,”The world is a “competitive jungle,”

Psychological DeterminismPsychological Determinism

• Man is a victim of Man is a victim of his inner and his inner and subconscious self subconscious self (Freud).(Freud).

Historical DeterminismHistorical Determinism

• Historical or Historical or socio-economic socio-economic determinism determinism (Marx): the world (Marx): the world is a battleground is a battleground of economic and of economic and social forces;social forces;

Objectives of NaturalismObjectives of Naturalism• Presentation is objective and detachedPresentation is objective and detached• Subject matter—raw and unpleasant Subject matter—raw and unpleasant

experiences which reduce people to experiences which reduce people to degrading circumstances in order to degrading circumstances in order to survive; survive;

• Setting commonplace and un-heroicSetting commonplace and un-heroic• Novelist discovers qualities in lower Novelist discovers qualities in lower

class characters usually associated with class characters usually associated with heroesheroes• Suggestion that life on lowest levels is more Suggestion that life on lowest levels is more

complicatedcomplicated

Themes in NaturalismThemes in Naturalism• Man is fundamentally an animal, Man is fundamentally an animal,

without free will;without free will;• Governed by determinismGoverned by determinism

• External and internal forces, environment or External and internal forces, environment or heredity control behavior;heredity control behavior;

• Characters have compensating humanistic Characters have compensating humanistic values which affirm life;values which affirm life;

• Struggle for life becomes heroic and affirms Struggle for life becomes heroic and affirms human dignityhuman dignity

• Pessimistic view of human capabilities—Pessimistic view of human capabilities—life is a traplife is a trap

The Ultimate Problem in The Ultimate Problem in RealismRealism

• Whose reality is portrayed?Whose reality is portrayed?• Those in power, usually male, white Those in power, usually male, white

and privilegedand privileged

• Whose reality is marginalized and Whose reality is marginalized and ignored?ignored?• Those without power: women, people Those without power: women, people

of color, people of lower economic of color, people of lower economic meansmeans