Realism, Local Color, and Realism, Local Color, and Naturalism:Naturalism:

American Literature in the American Literature in the Post-Civil War YearsPost-Civil War Years

Ms. Mitchell Sophomore CP

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions

What divides a nation?What divides a nation?

Is anything worth dying for?Is anything worth dying for?

Why do people break the rules?Why do people break the rules?

Is it important to face reality?Is it important to face reality?

What makes a place unique?What makes a place unique?

Why are there “haves” and “have-nots”?Why are there “haves” and “have-nots”?

Does the universe care?Does the universe care?

Where Have We Come From?Where Have We Come From?

PuritansPuritans– Religion, people are sinners, serious, trying to Religion, people are sinners, serious, trying to

tame the land, life was harsh.tame the land, life was harsh.

Romanticism/Transcendentalism/GothicRomanticism/Transcendentalism/Gothic– Nature, spirituality, people not necessarily Nature, spirituality, people not necessarily

bad, hopeful, individual spirit and emotion, bad, hopeful, individual spirit and emotion, humans do have a capacity for evil, humans do have a capacity for evil, supernaturalsupernatural

Where Do We Go?Where Do We Go?

Where Do We Go?Where Do We Go?

Our new unit starts in the years after the Our new unit starts in the years after the Civil War.Civil War.

Think: Why might there be the birth of a new Think: Why might there be the birth of a new literary movement in the years following a literary movement in the years following a big war? Why might people no longer feel big war? Why might people no longer feel aligned with the Romantic movement as aligned with the Romantic movement as

they did before the war?they did before the war?

Changing TimesChanging Times

People were greatly impacted by the war People were greatly impacted by the war (emotionally, physically, financially) and many no (emotionally, physically, financially) and many no longer felt like they could identify with the lofty, longer felt like they could identify with the lofty, romantic ideals of the Romantic Movement.romantic ideals of the Romantic Movement.

Life was changing and people needed a way to Life was changing and people needed a way to make sense of their new world and make sense of their new world and circumstances. Writing, and other artistic means, circumstances. Writing, and other artistic means, have historically provided that outlet.have historically provided that outlet.

What Else Changed?What Else Changed?

Country Becomes Bigger…And Smaller?!Country Becomes Bigger…And Smaller?!– The country, now united after the war, has expanded The country, now united after the war, has expanded

westward into the frontier. New regions now exist and westward into the frontier. New regions now exist and are being explored.are being explored.

– The transcontinental railroad makes travel across The transcontinental railroad makes travel across parts of the country faster and easier.parts of the country faster and easier.

Race RelationsRace Relations– Slavery is now officially over. What does this mean for Slavery is now officially over. What does this mean for

interactions between blacks and whites?interactions between blacks and whites?

Role of Women Role of Women – What might the changes for women be at this time?What might the changes for women be at this time?

What Else Changed? Cntd.What Else Changed? Cntd.

MoneyMoney– The economy is changing. A few powerful men hold The economy is changing. A few powerful men hold

the majority of the wealth. the majority of the wealth. – Many people, especially Native Americans, farmers, Many people, especially Native Americans, farmers,

blacks, and immigrants face hard times and struggle blacks, and immigrants face hard times and struggle to compete in the changing marketplaceto compete in the changing marketplace

– Social Darwinism: applied Darwin’s idea of “survival of Social Darwinism: applied Darwin’s idea of “survival of the fittest” to the gap between the rich and the poor.the fittest” to the gap between the rich and the poor.

– Is this a fair way of looking at things? Why or why Is this a fair way of looking at things? Why or why not?not?

Think!Think!

What might the new literature look like, What might the new literature look like, given all the changes the country has given all the changes the country has

experienced?experienced?

What predictions can you make about our What predictions can you make about our upcoming works?upcoming works?

So Where Do We End Up?So Where Do We End Up?

RealismRealism

Local ColorLocal Color

NaturalismNaturalism

RealismRealism

Realism: At its basic level, realism was grounded in the faithful Realism: At its basic level, realism was grounded in the faithful reporting of all facets of everyday American life. More honest, reporting of all facets of everyday American life. More honest, unsentimental and ironic than literature that came before.unsentimental and ironic than literature that came before.Focused on:Focused on:– Commonplace and collective experiences: Commonplace and collective experiences: – Character development over plotCharacter development over plot– Norms of daily experienceNorms of daily experience– Ordinary characters, studied in depthOrdinary characters, studied in depth– Images over SymbolismImages over Symbolism– Morality as self realizedMorality as self realized– DemocracyDemocracy– Relations between people and society are exploredRelations between people and society are explored

Examples: Both Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson can be seen as Examples: Both Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson can be seen as examples of poets who broke rules and are transitional poets examples of poets who broke rules and are transitional poets between the Romantic and Realist movements. between the Romantic and Realist movements.

Regionalism and Local ColorRegionalism and Local Color

Large country with many Large country with many unique and different regions. unique and different regions. (North, South, Midwest, (North, South, Midwest, Western Frontier, etc)Western Frontier, etc)Local color writings focus on Local color writings focus on the specific details and the specific details and eccentricities of a particular eccentricities of a particular area, usually well known to the area, usually well known to the writer.writer.Allowed readers to intimately Allowed readers to intimately experience places unknown to experience places unknown to them, allowed other readers to them, allowed other readers to uniquely identify with a text.uniquely identify with a text.Example: Mark Twain’s Example: Mark Twain’s Huckleberry FinnHuckleberry Finn

NaturalismNaturalism

Reflected the time of rapid changes and sharp Reflected the time of rapid changes and sharp contrasts, when wealth was concentrated in the contrasts, when wealth was concentrated in the hands of a fewhands of a fewGrew out of realism but also focused on more Grew out of realism but also focused on more extraordinary experiences and people at the extraordinary experiences and people at the fringes of societyfringes of societyNaturalists saw humans as helpless from forces Naturalists saw humans as helpless from forces beyond their control.beyond their control.– What do you understand this to mean?What do you understand this to mean?

Example: Jack London’s Example: Jack London’s White FangWhite Fang and and Call of Call of the Wild.the Wild.

Lasting LegacyLasting Legacy

War StoriesWar Stories

Artistic InnovatorsArtistic Innovators

African-American/Black literary influenceAfrican-American/Black literary influence

Wild WestWild West

Labor MovementsLabor Movements

Regionalism and Local Color todayRegionalism and Local Color today