Download American Regionalism, Realism, and Naturalism

American Regionalism,
Realism, and Naturalism
1860-1920(ish)
What is Realism?
 A faithful representation of reality in
literature, also known as “verisimilitude.”
 Emphasis on development of believable
characters.
 Written in natural vernacular, or dialect.
 Prominent from 1860-1890.
Realist Writers
 Mark Twain
 William Dean
Howells
 Henry James
 Edgar Lee Masters
Why did Realism develop?
 The Civil War
 The urbanization and industrialization of
America
 As a reaction to Romanticism
 Increasing rates of democracy and literacy
 The emerging middle class
 Upheaval and social change in the latter half of
the 19th century
What is Regionalism?
 Often called “local color.”
 Focuses on characters, dialect, customs,
topography, and other features specific to
a certain region (eg. the South)
 Coincided with Realism and sharing
many of the same traits.
 Prominent from 1865-1895.
Regionalist Writers
 Kate Chopin—
South
 Mary E. WilkinsFreeman—New
England
 Mark Twain—West
 Willa Cather—
Midwest
Why did Regionalism develop?
 Dual influence of Romanticism and
Realism
 The Civil War and the building of a
national identity
 An outgrowth of realism with more focus
on a particular setting and its influence
over characters
What is Naturalism?
 Naturalist sought to decribe the effect of nature
and social forces on the individual.
 Naturalism is an offshoot of realism.
 Influenced by Darwinism (natural selection)
and psychology (Freud)
 Often depict man in conflict with nature,
society, or himself.
 Prominent from 1880-1920(ish)
Naturalism Typically:
1.) Renders common people and life
accurately
2.) Shows that environment and
instinct determine behavior
3.) Paints human destiny as beyond
the control of the individual
4.) Uses Setting, theme, irony, and
conflict to convey these ideas.
Forces Beyond the Character’s Control
Characters are dominated by external or
internal forces:
Environmental
A storm, or a character lost at sea
Social conditions
A character born into poverty.
Chance (fate)
A character’s child is suddenly stricken with
typhoid fever.
Internal Passions
Lust, greed, or desire for dominance or
pleasure overcome rational behavior.
The Indifferent and Omnipotent Power of
Nature
Nature/Fate is as an indifferent force acting upon the
lives of human beings.
Works often describe the futile attempts of human
beings to exercise free will in a universe that
ironically reveals that free will is an illusion.
Violence and tragedy is often the result
Naturalist Writers




Stephen Crane
Ambrose Bierce
Jack London
Edwin Arlington
Robinson
 Katherine Anne
Porter
 Charlotte Perkins
Gilman
 Edith Wharton
Why did Naturalism develop?
 The swell of immigrants in the latter half of the
19th century, which led to a larger lower class
and increased poverty in the cities
 The prominence of psychology and the
theories of Sigmund Freud
 Pessimism in the wake of the Civil War and
Reconstruction
 Publication of Charles Darwin’s Origin of the
Species
Points to Remember…
 Realism, Regionalism, and Naturalism
are intertwined and connected.
 Their influence has dominated most
literature created since 1920, though the
movement itself is dated to roughly that
point.
 They are truly American modes of
writing.
Ask Yourself:
How would naturalist respond to the
following statements and why would
they respond that way.
1.) Some people are kind to the
core.
2.) You can be whatever you want to
be.