The Period of Realism and Naturalism
1870-1910
Introduction:
When Americans discovered the harshness of the frontier life and the Civil War, it shocked the nation. For the nearly 50 years prior to these harsh events, Americans had looked at the world through the optimistic filters of Romanticism and Transcendentalism. As a reaction to this dramatic change that occurred with the frontier and the Civil War, Americans began to prefer to write and think about reality instead of imagined or fantastic ideas.
Between 1870 and 1910, there were two main movements that took place in American literature: realism and naturalism. Realism was a literary movement that focused on ordinary characters ordinary, everyday life situations. Realist stories, like that of Stephen Crane, were written simply and told stories of simple people.
Naturalism was a branch of realism. Like realism, it depicted real people in real situations, but naturalists also believed in forces larger than the individual like nature, fate, and heredity. Naturalists believed that these forces shaped individuals and their destiny. Naturalism often included themes of survival, determinism, and violence. Naturalist writers often focused on character's unique characteristics. "Mary Chesnut's Civil War" shows characteristics of Naturalism because in her account of the war she describes real people and real events, but also talks about praying to God and asking Him for a good outcome.
Though they differ slightly, Naturalism and Realism both depict the life and experiences of the common American man. This movement helped Americans cope with the realization that their lives would not always be as optimistic at the Romantics believed it would be.
When Americans discovered the harshness of the frontier life and the Civil War, it shocked the nation. For the nearly 50 years prior to these harsh events, Americans had looked at the world through the optimistic filters of Romanticism and Transcendentalism. As a reaction to this dramatic change that occurred with the frontier and the Civil War, Americans began to prefer to write and think about reality instead of imagined or fantastic ideas.
Between 1870 and 1910, there were two main movements that took place in American literature: realism and naturalism. Realism was a literary movement that focused on ordinary characters ordinary, everyday life situations. Realist stories, like that of Stephen Crane, were written simply and told stories of simple people.
Naturalism was a branch of realism. Like realism, it depicted real people in real situations, but naturalists also believed in forces larger than the individual like nature, fate, and heredity. Naturalists believed that these forces shaped individuals and their destiny. Naturalism often included themes of survival, determinism, and violence. Naturalist writers often focused on character's unique characteristics. "Mary Chesnut's Civil War" shows characteristics of Naturalism because in her account of the war she describes real people and real events, but also talks about praying to God and asking Him for a good outcome.
Though they differ slightly, Naturalism and Realism both depict the life and experiences of the common American man. This movement helped Americans cope with the realization that their lives would not always be as optimistic at the Romantics believed it would be.
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Mark Twain:
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." -Mark Twain
Samuel L. Clemens, better known by his pen name, Mark Twain, was born on November 30, 1835 in Missouri. He was the sixth the child of John and Jane Clemens. His father was a storekeeper, lawyer, and judge who worked hard and found it difficult to provide for his family. He was an extremely serious person. According to one story, Samuel never saw his father laugh. His mother was very different. She was joyous, gentle, woman who often stayed up late into the night telling her children stories. This fostered Samuel's love for hearing and telling stories from a very young age. His mother took the leading role for their family when his father died in 1847. This caused their family to plunge even deeper into economic struggles, which would shape the thoughts and career of Samuel L. Clemons.
From the ages of 4 to 17 Clemons lived in Hannibal, a small town on the Mississippi River. The town was very lively. Steamboats arrived three times a day, circuses often visited, tradesmen like blacksmiths entertained people by practicing their crafts, and the town possessed an adequate library. A negative quality about the town was the large amount of violence that occurred. As a child, Sam witnessed many deaths. When he was 9 he witnessed the killing of a cattle rancher, and at 10 he watched a slave die after being struck by their master. This little town served as the inspiration for fictional towns he would create later on in life, like the town of "St. Petersburg" in Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. The towns he created were usually located on a river, beautiful, and lively, but at the same time they were cruel and poverty-stricken.
He continued to live in poverty and worked odd jobs until, when he was 21, he fulfilled his dream of learning to pilot steamboats on the Mississippi. He was a licensed pilot by 1859, and found employment piloting boats on the river. He enjoyed what he did because it was exciting, well-paying, and it gave him a high status. His career was slowed in 1861 by the Civil War, which stopped nearly all traffic on the Mississippi River. Clemens fought for the Confederacy, but he only participated in the war for a few weeks before his unit was disbanded.
After his short time in the war, Clemens headed out west in pursuit of money and excitement. He lived in Nevada and California for the next 5 years, working first as a gold and silver miner. When he was not successful, he found a job working as a reporter for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise. This is where he adopted the pen name "Mark Twain"-steamboat slang that means 12 feet of water. With his friendly, funny, and often satirical style, Twain soon became one of the most well-known story tellers in the West. Some of his most popular early works were "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog" and The Innocents Abroad. At 34 he became one of the most popular writers in America.
In 1870, he married Olivia Langdon, the daughter of a rich New York coal merchant. In 1870, Twain wrote two of his most famous works. These were The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and the sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. During Twain's last fifteen years, he received numerous public honors, including degrees from Oxford and Yale. His later life was filled with rage, paranoia, and depression. Samuel L. Clemens died when he was 74 on April 21, 1910, at his country home in Connecticut. He was buried in Elmira, New York.
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Mark Twain:
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." -Mark Twain
Samuel L. Clemens, better known by his pen name, Mark Twain, was born on November 30, 1835 in Missouri. He was the sixth the child of John and Jane Clemens. His father was a storekeeper, lawyer, and judge who worked hard and found it difficult to provide for his family. He was an extremely serious person. According to one story, Samuel never saw his father laugh. His mother was very different. She was joyous, gentle, woman who often stayed up late into the night telling her children stories. This fostered Samuel's love for hearing and telling stories from a very young age. His mother took the leading role for their family when his father died in 1847. This caused their family to plunge even deeper into economic struggles, which would shape the thoughts and career of Samuel L. Clemons.
From the ages of 4 to 17 Clemons lived in Hannibal, a small town on the Mississippi River. The town was very lively. Steamboats arrived three times a day, circuses often visited, tradesmen like blacksmiths entertained people by practicing their crafts, and the town possessed an adequate library. A negative quality about the town was the large amount of violence that occurred. As a child, Sam witnessed many deaths. When he was 9 he witnessed the killing of a cattle rancher, and at 10 he watched a slave die after being struck by their master. This little town served as the inspiration for fictional towns he would create later on in life, like the town of "St. Petersburg" in Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. The towns he created were usually located on a river, beautiful, and lively, but at the same time they were cruel and poverty-stricken.
He continued to live in poverty and worked odd jobs until, when he was 21, he fulfilled his dream of learning to pilot steamboats on the Mississippi. He was a licensed pilot by 1859, and found employment piloting boats on the river. He enjoyed what he did because it was exciting, well-paying, and it gave him a high status. His career was slowed in 1861 by the Civil War, which stopped nearly all traffic on the Mississippi River. Clemens fought for the Confederacy, but he only participated in the war for a few weeks before his unit was disbanded.
After his short time in the war, Clemens headed out west in pursuit of money and excitement. He lived in Nevada and California for the next 5 years, working first as a gold and silver miner. When he was not successful, he found a job working as a reporter for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise. This is where he adopted the pen name "Mark Twain"-steamboat slang that means 12 feet of water. With his friendly, funny, and often satirical style, Twain soon became one of the most well-known story tellers in the West. Some of his most popular early works were "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog" and The Innocents Abroad. At 34 he became one of the most popular writers in America.
In 1870, he married Olivia Langdon, the daughter of a rich New York coal merchant. In 1870, Twain wrote two of his most famous works. These were The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and the sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. During Twain's last fifteen years, he received numerous public honors, including degrees from Oxford and Yale. His later life was filled with rage, paranoia, and depression. Samuel L. Clemens died when he was 74 on April 21, 1910, at his country home in Connecticut. He was buried in Elmira, New York.
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Literary Themes:
After Americans discovered the harshness of the Civil War and life on the frontier, American authors attempted to represent ordinary, everyday life instead of imagined and fanciful events. Because of this, the works of the Realism period revolved around the lives of common people. With these works, themes like that of survival and violence were commonly used to portray the harsh side of reality. These two themes can be seen in the majority of Mark Twain's works, and specifically in Stephen Crane's An Episode of War. Naturalist authors also often included the themes of fate and the struggle between man and nature. The theme of fate can be seen Mary Chesnut's Civil War when she talks about God keeping her husband safe. Naturalist elements can also be seen in An Episode of War when the mud slows down the main character's medical treatment.
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After Americans discovered the harshness of the Civil War and life on the frontier, American authors attempted to represent ordinary, everyday life instead of imagined and fanciful events. Because of this, the works of the Realism period revolved around the lives of common people. With these works, themes like that of survival and violence were commonly used to portray the harsh side of reality. These two themes can be seen in the majority of Mark Twain's works, and specifically in Stephen Crane's An Episode of War. Naturalist authors also often included the themes of fate and the struggle between man and nature. The theme of fate can be seen Mary Chesnut's Civil War when she talks about God keeping her husband safe. Naturalist elements can also be seen in An Episode of War when the mud slows down the main character's medical treatment.
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Key Authors:
Stephen Crane: "An Episode of War", The Red Badge of Courage
Mark Twain: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Ambrose Bierce: "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"
Frederick Douglass: My Bondage and My Freedom, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Abraham Lincoln: The Gettysburg Address
Jack London: The call of the Wild
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Culture: Music, clothing, and art from this time period
Culture: Music, clothing, and art from this time period