Realism and Regionalism 1850 1900 What is Realism

Realism and Regionalism 1850 - 1900

What is Realism? • style of writing (and also of other arts) • developed in 19 th century • attempts to depict life accurately without idealizing or romanticizing it Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 2

Characteristics of Realism • emphasizes accuracy and objectivity • depicts common, everyday heroes • views the world scientifically (EMPIRICAL) • focuses on real-life situations Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 3

Different from Romanticism • emphasized imagination and emotion • depicted larger-than-life heroes • viewed the world poetically • focused on exotic, supernatural, and imaginary worlds Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 4

Causes of Rise of Realism • American Civil War • advances in technology • advances in science and education • social changes Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 5

The Civil War and Realism • major cause of rise or Realism • destroyed cities, industries, and lives • left bitter memories and economic desolation in the South Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 6

Technology and Realism • also contributed to rise of Realism • photography: people now saw real, unattractive pictures of war and poverty • telegraphs and railroads: more people now heard about events that affected the nation Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 7

Science, Education, and Realism • advances in psychology, biology, geology contradicted long-held beliefs about humans, world, universe • more women, minorities, poor had access to education and learned to read • newspapers and new mass -circulation magazines were widely read Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 8

Social Changes and Realism • 1865 --Thirteenth Amendment • outlawed slavery!!! Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 9

Social Changes and Realism • industrialization led to overpopulation and poverty in cities • agrarian economy of South devastated by war and loss of slave labor • newly-freed slaves and other Southerners moved to Northern cities looking for work Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 10

Social Changes and Realism • immigrants from strifetorn Europe arrived in droves • Northern cities grew quickly and without planning • slums houses many new arrivals • lack of hygiene = rise of disease and death Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 11

Realistic Literature • contains themes that center on contemporary society and on the lives of the middle and lower classes • describes even unpleasant details of everyday life • features characters drawn from poor and outcast of society Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 12

Realistic Literature • avoids extravagant language; uses simple, everyday diction • tries to show real life without personal feelings or idealistic thoughts color the writing • brings science to the story to explore human behavior Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 13

Regionalism: American Realism • literature that emphasizes a specific geographic setting and reproduces speech, behavior, and attitudes of the people who live in that region Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 14

Regionalism • Regionalist writers differ from strict Realists by portraying their characters in a somewhat sentimental fashion • Sarah Orne Jewett, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Bret Harte, Mark Twain Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 15

A Harsh Reality • A man said to the universe: “Sir, I exist!” “However, ” replied the universe, “the fact has not created in me a sense of obligation. ” - Stephen Crane Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 16

What Have You Learned? • A. B. C. D. Regionalism describes the speech, behavior, and attitudes of the people in a particular geographic area. True B. False Realistic novelists reject scientific explanations dialogue accurate detail glorious heroes Free Template from www. brainybetty. com 17

The End Now, let’s read some Realistic literature!!!