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"The Age of Realism" Elements of Literature, edited by Kylene Beers, Carol Jago, Deborah Appleman, Leila Christenbury, Sara Kajder, Linda Reif, Holt, 2009, pp. 605-613

"Realism and Naturalism" Elements of Literature, edited by Kylene Beers, Carol Jago, Deborah Appleman, Leila Christenbury, Sara Kajder, Linda Reif, Holt, 2009, pp. 681

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Provide a description of Naturalism.

Naturalism shows human beings as subject to natural forces beyond their control.

What does Naturalism have to do with Realism?

Naturalism was a movement that grew out of Realism. Naturalist authors were influenced by Charles Darwin and believed that they had little control over their own lives. Like Realists, Naturalists wrote about ordinary people, but they often focused on “seeking” for the truth in the universe, no matter how dark it may seem.

What was the main focus of Naturalist writers?

The main focus of Naturalist writers were that they wrote stories based on the idea that the environment determines and controls human character.

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Realism

Real-life

Middle-class

Everyday ordinary life

Romanticism

Nature / Beauty

Lower-class

How life could be (imagination)

Individual

SIMILARITIES

Both Realism and Romanticism focused on emotions

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Provide a description of Regionalism.

Regionalism focuses on what specifically characterizes a geographical area and its people. Strict attention is given to record the speech, mannerisms, behavior, and beliefs of people in specific locales accurately.

What does Regionalism have to do with Realism?

Regionalism is related to Realism because while Realist authors described life as they saw it and not how they imagined it, Regionalist authors portrayed the specific traits of particular regions or areas in the United States.

What was the main focus of Regionalist writers?

The main focus of Regionalist writers sought to record, celebrate, and mythologize the vast diversity of the American landscape and its people. They attempt to recreate the relevant physical features of landscapes and towns and colorful characters who inhabit them in careful detail.

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Identify a minimum of 3 authors from this time period and identify one of their literary works and explain why it was important.

Mark Twain - the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) . This was important because it expresses the writer's emotion (in an imaginative way) of the American landscape, which showed the social injustices of pre-Civil War life

Frank Norris - The Octopus: A Story of California (1901) - This was important because it described the strangling effects of the railroad on California farmers.

William Dean Howells, editor of the influential magazine - The Atlantic Monthly (became a tireless promoter of a distinctively American strain of realism) - This was important because his writings and novels modeled a “smiling realism” that portrayed an America where people may act foolishly, but their good qualities eventually win out.

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What was the Industrial Revolution and how did it impact or influence Realism?

Industrial Revolution is a period of time where industry and machine manufacturing increased. Inventions like electric rails, plastic, automobiles, telephones, and the light bulb were produced during the revolution. The rapid industrial development increased the country’s wealth and produced unsettling social problems. The revolution led to the Progressive Movement that attempted to improve American life and turned Romanticism to Realism.

How did the Civil War also impact or influence this literary time period?

After the Civil War, Romanticism were unable to express the horrors of the war, which led to a new generation of Realist to express their writing on everyday life and ordinary human behavior.

What was the Progressive Era and what was its impact on the literature during this time?

The Progressive Era was a movement to improve American life. Embracing social and political reform, talking about politics, business, and community life writers converted from Romanticism to realism. Realist reflects on characters and events on how life really is.

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What specific time period was Realism popular?

Realism was popular between 1880 to 1914.

Identify a minimum of 3 traits or characteristics of Realistic authors and/or their writing.

Traits / Characteristics of Realistic authors / writings

Local color

1. Customs

2. Speech

3. Character