Realism (Civil War - 1914)

Realism is the style of writing in which everything is viewed as it actually exists. 

Realism in the U.S.

1860:  Civil War began

1863:  Slavery abolished (13th Amendment)

1865:  Lincoln assasinated

1868:  Citizenship granted to former slaves (14th Amendment)

Elements of Realism

1. Used everyday patterns to reveal class distinctions
2. Detailed, ordinary characters & realistic events
3. Emphasis on characters from cities & lower classes
4. Avoided being overly dramatic, sesational, & exotic
5. Focus on ethical struggles & social issues of real-life situations
6. Rejects larger than life hero of Romantic literature

Arpin, Gary. Elements of Literature. 5. Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2007.

Regionalism is a realistic writer writing about a specific area.  For example, Mark Twain wrote mostly of the South.

Realistic Authors

Mark Twain: 

     Writing humorously and discriptively, Mark Twain captured the informal voice of the American speech including slang.  Some more of his popular works are The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,Huckaberry Finn, The Prince and the Pauper (About.com).

William Dean Howells:

     Howells wrote many biographys about the time period of the civil war.  He also wrote about new social difficulties, such as divorce, and how the people were affected (Cambell).

Realism Photos 

Arpin, Gary. Elements of Literature. 5. Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2007.

"Mark Twain - How Does Mark Twain Represent Realism in His Writing?." About.com. 14 Aug 2008 <http://classiclit.about.com/od/marktwainfaqs/f/faq_mtwain_real.htm>.

Cambell, Donna. "The William Dean Howells Society." The William Dean Howells Society. 05/26/2008. 14 Aug 2008 <http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/howells/hbio.html>.