1. Regionalism and Naturalism
Unit 4
Regionalism and Naturalism

2. Realism (Regionalism and Naturalism are offshoots of this)
Lit Movement developed in 19th century
Seeks to portray life accurately; depicted life objectively and honestly
No sentimentality or idealism
Often focuses on lower and middle classes-ordinary people in ordinary situations

3. Historical context- Regionalism and Naturalism (1870-1910)
Post-Civil War (Reconstruction): Readmitting southern states to the Union
South left in ruins; people suffering more than ever; racism worse than before or during war
America lacks money, property, education; African- Americans lack respect and rights granted (equal rights and the vote)

4. “Gilded Age”- Named by Twain
Wealthy did “everything but coat themselves in gold”
Booming industries= railroad, meatpacking, steel, oil
Wealth gap Small group controlled a large portion of money
Rockefellers (oil) Vanderbilts (steel)
Inventions- model T and lightbulb

6. “Have-nots”
Native Americans: pushed onto Reservations; fight back (Sitting Bull, Chief Joseph of Nez Pierce
African-Americans- free, but pressed with Jim Crow laws- segregration
Immigrants- worked in crowded factories, cramped living areas; 16 hour days in sweatshops
Independent farmers struggled to keep farms

8. Ideas
Many joined Populist Party/labor unions-tried to join to protect rights
Laissez Faire v. Progressivism
Social Darwinism “Survival of the fittest”
Laissez Faire mentality= “Allow to do”
Progressives= alleviate injustices, government should DO something

9. Regionalism
People eager to hear about life in mining camps, cattle ranches, frontier towns- every day experience
Transcontinental railroad (westward expansion, travel, encounters with diversity)
Aim of writing- preserve cultural identity; capture imagination, alleviate prejudice: Twain and Harte
Literary Movement: Writers accurately represent actions, speech, dress, history, folklore, beliefs from specific geographic regions

10. Local Color
Writing that brings a region alive by portraying its dress, mannerisms, customs, character types, and speech
Ex- Jim from Huck Finn (The “First American Novel”)
Dialect, dress

11. Naturalism Inspired by Darwinism Offshoot of Realism
Harsh reality; We are helpless creatures moved by forces beyond control or understanding; fate is not in our hands
Jack London- tales of the arctic world- White Fang and The Call of the Wild

12. Women’s Rights Fighting for right to vote/education
Frustration with current state; lack of support and ability to express themselves
Reflected Naturalist ideas- forces beyond control
Explore madness, ruin, scandal, death!
Chopin and Gilman- bad marriages, dark mental state

13. Twain 1835-1910 Regionalist writer Samuel Langhorn Clemens
Grew up in Hannibal, Missouri on MS River
Worked in journalism industry
Spent four years working on the river
Inspired humorous sketches
Panned for gold in West (Jumping Frog)

14. Twain contd. Traveled a lot- inspired writing greatly
Employed humor- expert at Satire
Wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer
Huck Finn- Greatest American Novel
Faced bankruptcy, lost two daughters
Delivered humorous speeches but dark, angry writing toward end of life

15. A Tall Tale American form of storytelling
Outlandish characters and events
Based on oral tradition
Uses various devices to impress listener:
Hyperbole
Understatement
Local Color

16. Techniques used in Tall Tales
Hyperbole= exaggeration or overstating a point
Understatement=downplaying the significance of the outlandish- meant to be ironic and humorous
Local Color=Writing that brings a region to life by portraying dress, mannerisms, customs, character types, and speech

17. Dialect Part of local color Read slowly Try to say it aloud
“You’d see that frog whirling in the air like a doughnut- see him turn one sommmerset.”

18. Short story review- Regionalism
Notorious Jumping Frog (Tall Tale)- Page 684: Characters, Basic plot line, Local Color, Hyperbole, Understatement
Outcasts of Poker Flat (Page 698) Characters, Basic plot line, Local Color

19. Short Story Review- Naturalism
“The Law of Life” p Jack London- Characters, basic plot, Human connection with nature
“The Story of an Hour” p Kate Chopin- Characters, plot, irony