1. Romanticism Self-reliance and individualism The individual is at the center of life and experience Human beings were innately good

2. Romanticism Emotion and intuition could provide avenues to truth Importance of the imagination Interest in the supernatural

3. Romanticism Importance of Nature --focusing on the American landscape as a setting Advancing a democratic aesthetic, one that challenged concepts of hierarchy and privilege Interest in social reform and belief in progress

4. Realism Verisimilitude – the “slice of life” Accurate reproduction of character and representation of life – use of dialects and language of the streets Emphasis on manners, customs, behaviors Often a conflict between manners and morals

5. Realism Free choice of subject matter Common individuals and “the low” as fit subjects for literature Importance of scientific observation