Realism 1865 - 1914

OBJECTIVES Introduction to Realism Competency Area #1 (Literature and Culture) Important Themes in Realism Competency Area #2 (Essential Themes and Ideas) Stylistic Characteristics of Realism Competency Area #2 (Essential Themes and Ideas) Historical Characteristics of Realism Competency Area #3 (Literature and History)

LITERATURE AND CULTURE Competency Area 1 (Literature and Culture) What is Realism? Movement in History, Arts, Literature, and Humanities A representation of reality (focuses on everyday life) as the writer sees it Who are some of the key writers? Mark Twain, Sui Sin Far, Abraham Cahan, Anzia Yezierska Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Kate Chopin, Zitka la Sa What are the sub genres of Realism? Regionalism (Kate Chopin) Naturalism

HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS Competency Area 3 (Literature and History) Social Structure Industrialization and urbanization, Emerging middle class, Increasing rates of literacy and democracy End of Civil War 13th Amendment and 15th Amendment Writers: Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Alice Dunbar End of Indian Treaty Era Writers: Zitkala Sa Emergence of Women’s Rights Writers: Kate Chopin, Alice Laurence Dunbar

HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS (Continued) Competency Area 3 (Literature and History) New Wave of Immigration European Immigration (Irish Immigration) Writers: Stephen Crane, William Dean Howell Jewish Immigration Writers: Abraham Cahan, Anzia Yezierska Chinese Immigration Writers: Mark Twain, Sui Sin Far

THEMATIC CHARACTERISTICS Competency Area 2 (Themes and Essential Ideas) Social Class Social standing is very important Class struggles are common Objectivity Exclusion of the author from the text in the form of personal feeling or opinion Complex Ethical Choices

THEMATIC CHARACTERISTICS (Romanticism vs. Realism Imaginary Ordinary People as Heroes & Villains Imaginary Setting Elevated, abstract prose History or Legend Real or ordinary life Everyday People (mixture of qualities) Real world setting Natural Vernacular (dialect) Everyday life

STYLISTIC CHARACTERISTICS Competency Area 2 (Themes and Essential Ideas) Characters Believable, Everyday Characters Characters dominate the plot Plot Characters experience ordinary events Plot serves characterization Setting Real World Setting or setting like a real place Setting at the service of characterization

FEATURED AUTHOR: MARK TWAIN “I came in with Halley's Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year (1910), and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I don't go out with Halley's Comet. The Almighty has said, no doubt: "Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together” (Twain).

FEATURED AUTHOR: MARK TWAIN Born in Joplin, Missouri Mischievous Child Married Olivia Langdon Father of Four Children

FEATURED AUTHOR: MARK TWAIN Twain, the Traveler Mid and South West in the US Europe, Middle East, and Asia Twain the Inventor Most inventions not as successful as his writing Memory Game, Adjustable Strap Twain the Writer Huckleberry Finn (widely known) Known for use of Humor and Satire

FEATURED AUTHOR: MARK TWAIN HALEYS COMET The night of his funeral the comet flew overhead in the night sky – the second time in 76 years.