Realism, as defined by James H. Rubin, is a movement in art and literature, [which] claimed to represent the common people and their everyday circumstances based on accurate observation (Rubin 91). According to Rubin, Realism “emerged in France during the mid nineteenth century”(Rubin 91) and came to the United States as a response to Reconstruction (Owen 9). Defining characteristics of the Realistic movement may include the complexities that an average man or woman might face. The subject matter is a representation of middle-class life. To begin with, John Steinbeck’s upbringing at an agricultural time led to the portrayal of his short stories and novels. “In 1962, Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. Steinbeck contributed to Realism by being a versatile writer. He has been described as a social-protest writer, a realist, a naturalist, a journalist, and a playwright. He has many strong themes running through his works. The most notable are the strengths of the family, the effects of the environment on man, and social protests” (Reuben 2). Secondly, William Dean Howells was born on March 1, 1837 in Martinsville, Ohio; Howells is regarded as "the father of American Realism" (Alexander 68). Specifically, Howells contributed to Realism by discussing his major themes, such as cosmopolitan life in New York City, war, and the American businessman (Cady 17). The over-all message being portrayed is that Realism enables its readers to reflect on common occurrences and attempt to improve the actuality of their lives. The literation of Realism zeroes in on normalcy, embracing mediocrity, and the possibility to overcome adversity. The authors, John Steinbeck and William Dean Howells successfully wrote of the Realistic movemen...
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After World War I, American people and the authors among them were disillusioned by the effects that war had on their society. America required a literature that would expound what had happened and what was happening to their society. The realistic movement of the late 19th century saw authors accurately depict life and its problems. This realistic movement evolved because of many changes and transitions in American culture. In the late 1800's, the United States was experiencing swift growth and change because of a changing economy, society, and culture. The increase of immigrants into America was one of the reasons. Realists endeavored to give a comprehensive picture of modern life by presenting the entire picture. The true definition of literary realism as defined by Encyclopedia Britannica is an approach that attempts to describe life without idealization or romantic subjectivity. Although realism is not limited to any one-century or group of writers, it is most often associated with the literary movement in 19th-century France, specifically with the French novelists Flaubert and Balzac. George Eliot introduced realism into England, and William Dean Howells introduced it into the United States. Realism has been chiefly concerned with the commonplaces of everyday life among the middle and lower classes, where character is a product of social factors and environment is the integral element in the dramatic complications.
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Between the years of 1865 and 1914, American literature was mainly comprised of three writing styles: realism, regionalism, and naturalism. Realism aims to portray life realistically. Though realism...
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