Journals Please
American Realism, and Naturalism 1860-1920(ish)
Realism The Literature Presented life objectively Favored science and technology Focused on socials skills and social conflict
Elements of Realism Detailed depiction of ordinary characters and realistic events Emphasis on characters from cities and lower classes Focus on the ethical struggles and social issues of real-life situations Sought to explain why ordinary people behave the way they do
Why did Realism develop? (don’t have to write down) The Civil War The urbanization and industrialization of America The emerging middle class
What is Naturalism? (Don’t have to write) Applied scientific principles of objectivity and detachment to the study of human beings. Influenced by Darwinism (natural selection) and psychology (Freud) Posited that individuals were governed by heredity and environment. Often depict man in conflict with nature, society, or himself. Prominent from 1880-1920(ish)
Naturalism Influenced by emerging disciplines of psychology and sociology Belief that human behavior is determined by heredity and environment Sense that human beings cannot control their own destinies Sense of life as a losing battle against an uncaring universe
Why did Naturalism develop? (Don’t have to write) 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, 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.
Reading Stephen Crane’s Maggie Girl of the Streets The Red Badge of Courage
Constructive Response Stephen Crane is known for being a writer in the Realism and Naturalism era. What are two examples from these narratives that prove he wrote in this time? Must include one quote Must introduce, and explain that quotes Must have 2 examples that show Realism and Naturalism Must prove these examples Teacher example from Frankenstein: Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, proves to be a Romantic text because of its detailed imagery of nature, and the experiences the narrator goes through. From chapter 5 it states, “…by the dim and yellow light of the moon, as it forced its way through the window shutters, I beheld the wretch-the miserable monster I created.” The nature of the moon creates a mysterious feeling that supports Romantic elements from the Romanticism era. Second, when the narrator expresses his love for Elizabeth that shows human experiences which is another element that Romantic texts include.