More Background to Help You Understand Twain’s Works Realism and Satire More Background to Help You Understand Twain’s Works

Realism Verisimilitude: the faithful representation of reality Reaction against Romanticism and sentimentality “…realists center their attention to a remarkable degree on the immediate, the here and now, the specific action, and the verifiable consequence” (Harmon & Holman, A Handbook to Literature) Realism

Characteristics of Realist Works Presents reality in specific detail Uses language of people and places Dialect: a variety of language distinguished from other forms of the same language by grammar, spelling, and vocabulary Vernacular: plain, everyday language used by ordinary people Character is more important than plot Ethical dilemmas often explored Typically focused on the middle class Avoid the sensational or overly dramatic Characteristics of Realist Works

A literary genre / technique that exposes folly, vice, and shortcomings, typically through the use of humor or irony like sarcasm Types Horatian and Juvenalian Differ in the intensity of their ridicule Juvenalian is more severe, typically denouncing human evils over folly Not to be confused with parody—mockery by an imitation of the actual subject (Think SNL) Satire

War Prayer Read and annotate the text. What is Twain satirizing in this piece? How is his satire still relevant today? War Prayer

Your Turn Find a passage from Huck Finn that uses satire Determine what flaw in humanity or institution Twain is criticizing Construct a 1-page typed response making Twain’s satire relevant by connecting it to a modern example of a similar problem. Use a source for your modern connection and cite in MLA format Your Turn