1. Realism, Regionalism, & Naturalism
The writers and their stories

2. Defining the Literary Period
Realism: attempts to portray life as it is, without romantic idealism.
Characters are ordinary people in ordinary situations
Characters written about in an objective way
Naturalism: like realism, wanted to portray life as it actually was
Viewed people as helpless victims of natural laws (hereditary, environment)

3. Ambrose Bierce Author background Style and Theme
Enlisted in Union army at 18
Fought in several major battles of Civil War
After Civil War, moved west to San Fran
Started journalism career
Style and Theme
Known for cynical (bitter) humor and cruel wit
Futility of war

4. “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”
Literary Elements
Point of view: the narrative perspective from which a story is told
1st person: the narrator is a character in the story and describes events using I, me, we, my
3rd person: events are related by a voice outside the action, using words like he, she, they
3rd person Omniscient: aware of all characters’ thoughts
3rd person Limited: focuses only on one character’s thoughts
Stream of Consciousness: character’s thoughts are presented as the mind experiences them, without obvious logic

5. “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”
Structure
This short story is arranged in three numbered sections
Change of section indicates a change in time
Section I: at the execution
Section II: flashback
Section III: picks up where Section I left off
Each section contains a shift in POV—pay attention as you read to where POV shifts.

6. “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”
Table work: looking at each of the three sections in this story, determine the important events for each section and the POV the section is told from. Each section contains multiple points of view…figure out
When POV changes—quote a line from the story
How does the POV affect the level of suspense?
Then find three examples of foreshadowing that help to indicate the Peyton’s escape is only in his mind.

7. Stephen Crane (1871-1900) Grew up in the slums of Asbury Park, NJ
Attended college at Syracuse—never graduated
Became a journalist after leaving college
First book, Maggie: A Girl of the streets
Censored because of the content—the life of a prostitute in the slums
Becomes a literary sensation with second novel, The Red Badge of Courage
Exposed American readers to the brutality of war

8. “An Episode of War” Literary Focus--Naturalism
Subjects: common people in ordinary life situations
Focus: emphasized how instinct and environment affect human behavior
Influenced by Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and Natural Selection
Believed human fate is determined by forces beyond individual control, but that force isn’t God; it’s nature or social forces that determine our fate
Presents a bleak reality without explanation, letting the reader draw her own conclusions

9. “An Episode of War” Literary Focus
Setting--As you read, focus on the details that Crane includes to describe the setting that allow you to visualize the characters, settings and events.

10. “An Episode of War”
Naturalist writers strove to show people as hapless victims of circumstances beyond their control; these forces include hereditary, environment (nature), and sheer chance.
Characters are often victims of their own (bad) instincts or of a violent world
Characters endure suffering quietly, with honor

11. “An Episode of War” Discuss as a class… Tablework...in your notes.
How is the lieutenant a victim of chance?
Why does Crane leave the lieutenant nameless?
Tablework...in your notes.
Identify three descriptions of human actions in the story that could also describe the actions of animals.
After he is shot, several of the men attempt acts of kindness toward the lieutenant. Identify one gesture of kindness shown to the lieutenant and explain why it fails.
Naturalism focused on the dignified suffering of people who face forces they can’t control. Identify two examples of the lieutenant’s dignified suffering.

12. Jack London (1876-1916) Grew up EXTREMELY poor in San Francisco
Began working full time as an unskilled laborer at age 11
Books were an escape from his life
Inspired him to travel
Graduated from high school; attended one semester of college before heading to Alaska to find gold
Taught him about people’s desire for wealth and power
Our inability to control the forces of nature
(naturalism)
First literary success, The Call of the Wild (1903)

13. Jack London Literary Focus: Naturalism
Conflict: the struggle between opposing forces
Internal: occurs within the mind of a character
External
Man V. Society
Man V. Man
Man V. Nature
Man V. Fate/God
In “To Build a Fire” the setting serves as the opposing force

14. Jack London Literary Focus: Imagery and setting Table Work
Analyzing imagery and setting for hints of foreshadowing
Find three examples of imagery from the beginning of the story until it is noon (page 601) that hint the man may not survive this journey
Find three examples of the dog’s feelings and instincts about survival from anywhere in the story
How do the dog’s feeling and instincts increase the dramatic irony?

15. Kate Chopin (1851-1904) Raised in the Midwest (Missouri)
Father died in RR accident when Chopin was 5
Well educated
Widowed at 31 years old—left to raise 6 children and manage her husband’s business on her own
First published in 1889
Stories often focused on women seeking independence from male dominated society

16. “The Story of an Hour”
Literary Elements: Setting: turn of the century (1900)
Custom and law limited women’s actions and control over their own lives
No right to vote
Could not own property
Educational and Employment opportunities severely limited
Married women were expected to be subservient to and supportive of their husbands

17. “The Story of an Hour” Literary Elements: Irony
Verbal Irony: occurs when someone says something that deliberately contradicts what that person actually means
Situational irony: occurs when something happens that contradicts THE READER’S expectations
Dramatic Irony: occurs when the reader/audience knows something that the characters/actors do not know.

18. Questions to think about: Table work
How do Richards and Josephine expect Mrs. Mallard to react to the news? How do their expectations help to guide our expectations?
What is ironic and how is irony it displayed in this story?
How would you describe the Mallard’s marriage? Is Mrs. Mallard justified in her reaction to the news? Does she hate her husband or the institution of marriage?
What does the author mean by having Mrs. Mallard say, “Free, free, free”?