Realism, Naturalism Realism, Naturalism and Regionalismand Regionalism

Entering the Twentieth Entering the Twentieth Century in the USACentury in the USA

The Civil War left The Civil War left Americans feeling Americans feeling uncertain about uncertain about the future. the future.

Writers turned away Writers turned away from Romanticism from Romanticism and and Transcendentalism Transcendentalism with their emphasis with their emphasis on the fantastic, the on the fantastic, the imaginative, and our imaginative, and our need for harmony.need for harmony.

Realistic writers Realistic writers sought to portray sought to portray ordinary life as real ordinary life as real people live it: factory people live it: factory workers, politicians, workers, politicians, gunfighters and gunfighters and cowboys.cowboys.

Examples of Realistic WritersExamples of Realistic Writers

Bret HarteBret Harte

Mark TwainMark Twain

Realistic writers attempted to show Realistic writers attempted to show characters in an “objective, almost characters in an “objective, almost factual way.” (472)factual way.” (472)

They “tried to find meaning in the They “tried to find meaning in the commonplace.” (472)commonplace.” (472)

NaturalismNaturalism

The naturalists believed that one’s The naturalists believed that one’s destiny is decided by heredity and destiny is decided by heredity and environment, physical drives, and environment, physical drives, and economic circumstances.economic circumstances.

They believed that human beings They believed that human beings had no control over events.had no control over events.

They also believed that human They also believed that human beings are at the mercy of nature beings are at the mercy of nature and its brutal forces.and its brutal forces.

Examples of Naturalistic WritersExamples of Naturalistic Writers

Jack LondonJack London

Stephen CraneStephen Crane

Crane wrote the Crane wrote the

classicclassic

RegionalismRegionalism

Regionalism is often referred to “local Regionalism is often referred to “local color”color”

Such writers use regional dialect.Such writers use regional dialect. They use vivid descriptions of the They use vivid descriptions of the

landscape.landscape. They sought to capture the essence of They sought to capture the essence of

life in the various regions of the life in the various regions of the nation, attempting to capture nation, attempting to capture customs, dress, speech, and other customs, dress, speech, and other local differences.local differences.

Examples of RegionalistsExamples of Regionalists

Bret Harte Bret Harte

Kate ChopinKate Chopin

and Mark Twainand Mark Twain