realism, regionalism, & naturalism

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Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism The writers and their stories

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Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism. The writers and their stories. Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery, approx. 1817 As a boy, an owner taught him the alphabet Later, he taught himself to read—this would eventually allow him to escape slavery 1838—escaped slavery - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

Realism, Regionalism, & NaturalismThe writers and their stories

Page 2: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

Defining the Literary Period Realism: attempts to portray life as it is, without

romantic idealism. Characters are ordinary people in ordinary situations

Focused on lower and middle class characters Trials, hardships, and ultimate nobility of the common man

Characters written about in an objective and honest way No sentimentality or idealism of Romantic Period

Settings are developed in detail to re-create time and place for the reader

There are two sub-groups that occur during the period of Realism—Regionalism and Naturalism

Page 3: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

Regionalism Natural outgrowth of Realism

Accurately represents the speech, manners, habits, history, folklore, and beliefs of a people in a specific geographic area

Factors that contributed to Regionalism? Publishing boom of late 1880s, especially in

magazines and subscription publishing Targeted rural, middle class Readers wanted characters who sounded and

behaved liked them

Page 4: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

Importance of Setting to Regionalism Key elements of Setting

Geographical location and physical features The history of the time period in which the story is

set The jobs and daily activities of the characters The culture of the characters, including

Religious beliefs Moral beliefs Socio-economic conditions

Dialect: distinctive forms of language spoken in particular areas

Page 5: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

Naturalism Naturalism: like realism, wanted to portray

life as it actually was Applied scientific principles of objectivity

and detachment to the study of human beings. Viewed people as helpless victims of natural laws

(hereditary, environment) Man’s fate is governed by heredity and environment.

Often depict man in conflict with nature, society, or himself.

Page 6: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

Characteristics of Naturalism Makes people the subjects of scientific case studies. Tone is often coldly scientific. Uses great masses of details; their informal arrangement reflects the

chaotic state of society and nature. In diction, sometimes seems to seek out the ugly word for its own

sake. Likely to present nature as chaotic. Studies society dispassionately to correct the evils found there. Drops artificial concepts of plot and action for a "slice of life.“ Main characters are usually low on the social scale; often morally frail

Page 7: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

Ambrose Bierce Author background

Enlisted in Union army at 18 Fought in several major battles of Civil War After Civil War, moved west to San Fran

Started journalism career Style and Theme

Style: Known for cynical (bitter) humor and cruel wit

Theme: Futility (pointlessness or uselessness) of war

Page 8: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

“Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” Literary Elements

Point of view: the narrative perspective from which a story is told 1st person: the narrator is a character in the story and

describes events using I, me, we, my 3rd person: events are related by a voice outside the

action, using words like he, she, they 3rd person Omniscient: aware of all characters’ thoughts 3rd person Limited: focuses only on one character’s thoughts

Stream of Consciousness: character’s thoughts are presented as the mind experiences them, without obvious logic

Page 9: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

“Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” Structure

This short story is arranged in three numbered sections Change of section indicates a change in time

Section I: at the execution Section II: flashback Section III: picks up where Section I left offEach section contains a shift in POV—pay attention as you read to where POV shifts.

Page 10: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

“Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” Tablework: Looking at sections I and II, determine the POV at the start of

the section. Then figure out… When POV changes—quote a line for the story (for parts I and II).

What POV does it change to? How does this affect the level of suspense?

The events of this particular story are told out of order to help build suspense…for parts I and II, put the events of Peyton Farquahar’s life in chronological order

Table work: looking at section III, determine what the POV the section is at the beginning of the section. Then, figure out… When POV changes—quote a line from the story (for part III) How does the POV affect the level of suspense? Find three examples of foreshadowing from Part III that help to indicate the

Peyton’s escape is only in his mind.

Page 11: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

Stephen Crane (1871-1900) Grew up in the slums of Asbury Park, NJ

Attended college at Syracuse—never graduated

Became a journalist after leaving college First book, Maggie: A Girl of the streets

Censored because of the content—the life of a prostitute in the slums

Becomes a literary sensation with second novel, The Red Badge of Courage Exposed American readers to the brutality of war

Page 12: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

“An Episode of War” Literary Focus--Naturalism

Subjects: common people in ordinary life situations

Focus: emphasized how instinct and environment affect human behavior Influenced by Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and

Natural Selection Believed human fate is determined by forces beyond

individual control, but that force isn’t God; it’s nature or social forces that determine our fate

Presents a bleak reality without explanation, letting the reader draw her own conclusions

Page 13: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

“An Episode of War” Literary Focus

Setting--As you read, focus on the details that Crane includes to describe the setting that allow you to visualize the characters, settings and events.

Page 14: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

“An Episode of War” Naturalist writers strove to show people

as hapless victims of circumstances beyond their control; these forces include hereditary, environment (nature), and sheer chance. Characters are often victims of their own

(bad) instincts or of a violent world Characters endure suffering quietly, with

honor

Page 15: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

“An Episode of War” Discuss as a table… (answer in your notes)

How is the lieutenant a victim of chance? Why does Crane leave the lieutenant nameless?

Tablework...in your notes. Identify three descriptions of human actions in the

story that could also describe the actions of animals. After he is shot, several of the men attempt acts of

kindness toward the lieutenant. Identify one gesture of kindness shown to the lieutenant and explain why it fails.

Naturalism focused on the dignified suffering of people who face forces they can’t control. Identify two examples of the lieutenant’s dignified suffering.

Page 16: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

Jack London (1876-1916) Grew up EXTREMELY poor in San Francisco Began working full time as an unskilled laborer

at age 11 Books were an escape from his life Inspired him to travel Graduated from high school; attended one

semester of college before heading to Alaska to find gold Taught him about people’s desire for wealth and

power Our inability to control the forces of nature (naturalism)

First literary success, The Call of the Wild (1903)

Page 17: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

Jack London Literary Focus: Naturalism

Conflict: the struggle between opposing forces Internal: occurs within the mind of a character External

Man V. Society Man V. Man Man V. Nature Man V. Fate/God

In “To Build a Fire” the setting serves as the opposing force

Page 18: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

Jack London Literary Focus: Imagery and setting

Table Work Analyzing imagery and setting for hints of

foreshadowing Find three examples of imagery from the beginning

of the story until it is noon (page 601) that hint the man may not survive this journey

Find three examples of the dog’s feelings and instincts about survival from anywhere in the story How do the dog’s feeling and instincts increase the

dramatic irony?

Page 19: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

Kate Chopin (1851-1904) Raised in the Midwest (Missouri)

Father died in RR accident when Chopin was 5

Well educated Widowed at 31 years old—left to raise 6

children and manage her husband’s business on her own

First published in 1889 Stories often focused on women seeking

independence from male dominated society

Page 20: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

“The Story of an Hour” Literary Elements: Setting: turn of the

century (1900) Custom and law limited women’s actions

and control over their own lives No right to vote Could not own property Educational and Employment opportunities

severely limited Married women were expected to be

subservient to and supportive of their husbands

Page 21: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

“The Story of an Hour” Literary Elements: Irony

Verbal Irony: occurs when someone says something that deliberately contradicts what that person actually means

Situational irony: occurs when something happens that contradicts THE READER’S expectations

Dramatic Irony: occurs when the reader/audience knows something that the characters/actors do not know.

Page 22: Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism

Table work: discuss and answer as a group

How do Richards and Josephine expect Mrs. Mallard to react to the news? How do their expectations help to guide our expectations?

In what ways is Mrs. Mallard’s reaction to her husband’s “death” an example of situational irony?

How might the diagnosis of Mrs. Mallard’s cause of death be an example of dramatic irony?

How would you describe the Mallard’s marriage? Is Mrs. Mallard justified in her reaction to the news? Does she hate her husband or the institution of marriage?

Explain why the following descriptive passages are ironic and identify what type of irony they are. “the tops of the trees were all aquiver with new spring life” “She was drinking the very elixir of life through the open window” “She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only

yesterday that she had thought with a shudder that life might be long.”