1. Realism

2. Goals of Realist Literature: Give an accurate portrayal of life Depict reality, no matter how ordinary Shed light on social issues and concerns by basing literature on observations of commonplace events and people

3. Why did Realism come about? First developed in France in mid-19 th century Spread to England, Russia, and the United States Born as a reaction to Romanticism Change from glorifying the individual and celebrating emotions to depicting people as they actually are Product of a rapidly changing society Change from rural society to urban following Civil War Writers inspired to depict effects of these dramatic social changes on the average citizen

4. Characteristics of Realism Complex characters – Ordinary people like laborers, businessmen, or housewives from lower and middle class – Long, descriptions of character’s inner thoughts Ordinary setting True to life dialogue that captures dialects and idioms of conversation reflective of a particular time period, place, or social group