The Rise of Realism

1. The Rise of Realism Pages 378-395 The Civil War to 1914 Painting: Home, Sweet Home (1863) by Winslow Homer

2. Civil War: What do you know? • Why was the war fought? (382-386) • How was the war fought? What did the fighting look like? (382-386) • What was the result of the war? (380, 386) • Was any war literature produced? Why or why not? (388-389) • After the Civil War, what type of writers emerged and what did they write about? (391)

3. Literature During this Period • Short stories, novels, poetry, muckraking journalism • Famous Writers: The only reason for the existence of a novel is that I does attempt to represent life. -Henry James

4. Elements of Realism • Write about ordinary characters & realistic events • Avoid the exotic, sensational, and overly dramatic • Use everyday speech patterns to reveal class and geographic distinctions (regionalism) • Focus on ethical struggles and social issues of real-life situations What are realists reacting against??? Page 391

6. Psychological Realism: Inside the Human Mind • Look at why ordinary people behave the way they do: character motivation • Look at how social and psychological situations influence behavior • Juxtapose human illusions with the indifference of the universe • Henry James & Stephen Crane

7. Elements of Naturalism (an offshoot of realism) • Analyze human behavior objectively like a scientist • Belief that human behavior is determined by heredity and environment • Sense that humans cannot control their own destinies • Sense of life as a losing battle against an uncaring universe Page 393-394