Riley Clark Mr.Williams Honors ELA 2 23 February 2024 Realism and Naturalism Realism and naturalism are two separate but closely linked literary movements that began in the 19th century. These literary movements sought to capture the complexities of human existence and society with an eye for detail and emphasis on portraying life as it is. In exploring these movements, three notable works stand out: “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” by Bret Harte, “Richard Cory” by E.A. Robinson, and “Miniver Cheevy” by E.A. Robinson. These works dive into the harsh realities of life, showcasing the triumphs and tragedies that shape a human. “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” epitomizes realism through its portrayal of a diverse group of individuals banished from society. …show more content…
Harte included this in his work because he wants us to understand just how dangerous traveling through the mountains can be. Physical limitation, “And pulseless and cold, with a Derringer by his side and a bullet in his heart, though still calm as in life, beneath the snow lay he who was at once the strongest and yet the weakest of the outcasts of Poker Flat”(458). The author shows how Oakhurst wasn’t strong enough to let himself freeze to death and how he would rather kill himself than freeze. Social Conflict, “A body of armed men accompanied the deported wickedness of Poker Flat to the outskirts of the settlement”(452). The characters are kicked out of their society for being different from everyone else or if they had made mistakes and Harte is showing that if you do not live up to society's standards you will be punished for it. In stark contrast, Edwin Arlington Robinson’s poem, “Richard Cory” explores the disillusionment that can arise from …show more content…
Economics, “And he was rich—yes, richer than a king—And admirably schooled in every grace”(Stanza 3). Even though he was rich, he still felt unhappy and unfulfilled. This exploration of the gap between perception and reality aligns with the naturalistic theme of life’s inherent unpredictability and the inability to escape one’s fate. “Miniver Cheevy” further delves into the naturalistic portrayal of individuals trapped by their circumstances. Robinson’s character, Miniver Cheevy, yearns for a past era, unable to cope with the challenges of the present. Heredity, ““Miniver Cheevy, child of scorn,Grew lean while he assailed the seasons;He wept that he was ever born, And he had reasons”(Stanza 1). Miniver Cheevy is so stubborn he will not accept his fate, instead of trying to fix his own life he wallows in self-pity. Economics, “Miniver scorned the gold he sought, But sore annoyed was he without it;Miniver thought, and thought, and thought, And thought about it”(Stanza
Works Cited: Source: #1 Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 123: Nineteenth-Century French Fiction Writers: Naturalism and Beyond, 1860-1900. A Bruccoli Clark Layman Book. Edited by Catharine Savage Brosman, Tulane University. The Gale Group, 1992. pp. 188-214.
He begins to feel finally free. In the passage, “ The Outcasts of Poker Flat,” the author uses Duchess, a saloon girl; Uncle Billy, a local thief and drunk; Mother Shipton, a madam; and Mr.Oakhurst, a poker player to illustrate his definition of isolation. Being stranded in the mountains and dealing with starvation, they are left to fight for life. In the end, Mr. Oakhurst commits suicide in order to not deal with being isolated. Through all of the passages, the authors use different themes to illustrate isolation in different
In early American literature, many authors began shifting the focus of their works from the refined upper class citizens to the real every-day experiences of the American people. As a result of this shift, authors began writing about life in the small towns scattered across the United States, while focusing on non-typical and socially and morally lowly characters. A perfect example of this type of writing can be found in “The Outcasts of Poker Flat,” a short story written by Bret Harte. In this story, we are introduced to four characters, cast from their pioneertown for participating in morally objectionable activities. The four consisted of John Oakhurst, a gambler, Duchess, a prostitute, Mother Shipton, a madam, and Uncle Billy, a local drunk and thief.
The literary rebellion, known as realism, established itself in American writing as a direct response to the age of American romanticism’s sentimental and sensationalist prose. As the dominance of New England’s literary culture waned “a host of new writers appeared, among them Bret Harte, William Dean Howells, and Mark Twain, whose background and training, unlike those of the older generation they displaced, were middle-class and journalistic rather than genteel or academic” (McMichael 6). These authors moved from tales of local color fiction to realistic and truthful depictions of the complete panorama of American experience. They wrote about uniquely American subjects in a humorous and everyday language, replete with their character’s misdeeds and shortcomings. Their success in creating this plain but descriptive language, the language of the common man, signaled the end of American reverence for British and European culture and for the more formal use of language associated with those traditions. In essence, these new authors “had what [the author] Henry James called “a powerful impulse to mirror the unmitigated realities of life,” in contrast to the romanticist’s insistence “on the author’s rights to avoid representations of “squalid misery” and to present instead an idealized and “poetic” portrait of life” (McMichael 6).
Stillinger, Jack, Deidre Lynch, Stephen Greenblatt, and M H. Abrams. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Volume D. New York, N.Y: W.W. Norton & Co, 2006. Print.
The irony in the poem portrays the theme that looks can be very deceiving. Richard Cory was the perfect man, or so it seemed. No one saw what was going on underneath his perfect disguise. In the beginning of the poem we learn that Richard Cory is perfect and rich. Through his suicide, we learn that even Cory, a perfect man, was not as content as he seemed to others. The common people had a distorted view of Cory. They thought Cory was happy because he was wealthy and came across as perfect when in reality, he had faults and suffered. His appearance was deceiving as he hid his suffering with a mask- his looks, his riches, and the way he kept himself. Since he appeared to be of a higher class and richer than the common people, it would seem as though he would have no problems. Arlington emphasized how Corey had everything with his use of repetitiveness using “And” at the beginning of each line describing Cory’s characteristics. The common people judged Richard Cory based on what they saw, assuming he had the perfect life with everything he had, rather than who he was as a person. In “Cory”, there is no mention of Cory’s life on a personal level. The moral of this is not to judge a person by their looks, but rather who they really are because who they really are can be
American Literary Realism, 1870-1910. Vol. 8, Issue 1 - "The 'Standard' University of Texas, 1975. http://www.ut Gilman, Charlotte.
In the poem we only know Richard Cory by what the people see and think about him. His feelings, other than when he commits suicide, are never truly stated. Throughout the poem the only thing we learn about Richard Cory are the images that the everyday people have of a man who is seen almost as a king. In the second line of the poem, the villagers express that they feel inferior to Cory when they say “We people on the pavement looked at him” (2). The people referring to themselves as “people on the pavement” might be inferring that the people are homeless; in their opinion Richard Cory is seen as a king “He was a gentleman from sole to crown” (3). and they are just his admiring subjects. Even the name Richard Cory is and allusion to Richard Coeur-de-lion, or King Richard 1 of England. Then, the public goes on to describe Richard as a true gentleman, “And he was always quietly arrayed,/ And he was always human when he talked” (5-6). These lines show that the public think that Richard Cory never truly came off as very wealthy because he believed that even the poorest person deserved politeness and respect. The word “always” in lines five and six could suggest that th...
In Edwin Arlington Robinson’s poems, “Richard Cory” and “Miniver Cheevy” the main characters are portrayed as outcasts. Both are shunned from society neither having any real friends. Though these characters have some similarities, the way in which Robinson portrays them is very different. Richard Cory is admired by his peers, where as, Miniver Cheevy is opposite; people look down on him. One man appearing to have everything takes his own life, while the other appearing to have nothing accepts his misery.
Magill, Frank N., Magill's Survey: American Literature Realism to 1945. California: Salem Press, Inc., 1963.
A further weighty example of economic conflict within the novel, more information on naturalistic conflict within Ethan’s life, is given to Wharton’s readers. All three of these illustrations of naturalistic conflict help build upon the recurring idea of Ethan Frome’s poor monetary situation. The Outcasts of Poker Flat is a short story written by Bret Harte showcasing the harsh life in the American West. In his narrative, environmental conflict unfolds as a group of outlaws faces their demise in the harsh conditions of the Sierra Nevada mountains. As a snowstorm brings unrelenting cold to the outlaws, Harte’s novel outlines environmental conflict: “The pines rocked, the storm eddied and whirled above the miserable group, and the flames of their altar leaped heavenward as if in token of the vow.”
We are able to gather the image of an extremely polished male who is not only a man but a gentleman. Richard is wealthy beyond measure and the people clearly lust for his riches. The metaphor throughout the poem which compares Richard to wealth teaches a strong lesson to the townspeople. The author closes this poem with the lines “And Richard Cory, one calm summer night / went home and put a bullet through his head. (15-16)” If we once again compare Richard to wealth, this phrase indicates that although the townspeople believe they will gain happiness from obtaining wealth, they may actually find that their calm is destroyed by wealth. Without the use of imagery and metaphor acting together throughout this piece of literature, it is my opinion that the reader may not have gained a clear picture of Richard Cory and his relationship of superiority with the people of the
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...
Campbell, Donna M. "Realism in American Literature, 1860-1890." Literary Movements. Dept. of English, Washington State University. 16 September 2002. Article. 15 march 2014.
Through realistic literary elements of the novel and the themes of individuality, isolation, society and being content versus being ambitious, readers of Robinson Crusoe can relate to many experiences that Crusoe faced. Crusoe’s story represents the genre of the middle class; it is the narration of middle-class lives with the help of realism elements and prominent themes that reflect on middle-class issues and interests. Crusoe represents mankind in the simplest form, he stands on middle ground no higher or lower than any other. He represents every reader who reads his story; they can substitute him for themselves. His actions are what every reader can picture himself or herself doing, thinking, feeling or even wishing for (Coleridge and Coleridge 188-192)