Unit 7/7.01

Naturalism:

Another outgrowth of realism was naturalism. Naturalism is a literary movement that Asserts that heredity and environment are the primary influences on a character's behavior and thought Strips an individual of power, insisting instead that the individual is at the mercy of external forces Naturalist works often focus on intense, though realistic, situations to show the power of external forces over individuals.

More Viewpoints, More Questions:

As the twentieth century neared, American literature expanded with the country. A single literary movement or philosophy could not define such a large and diverse nation. American writers expressed various viewpoints that reflected the many sides of America and the different experiences of Americans. Inevitably, viewpoints expressed in one type or period of American literature questioned or challenged viewpoints expressed in other types and periods. Yet far from destroying or even hindering the strength of American literature, these challenges opened the door to mature growth.

Life and Career of Hamlin Garland

Birth: Hamlin Garland was born in Wisconsin in September of 1860, less than a year before the Civil War began. Childhood on the prairie: Garland spent his childhood on small farms in his home state, as well as in South Dakota and Iowa. At the age of 24, Garland moved to Boston to pursue a career as a writer. Literary style and beliefs: In 1891, Garland's first collection of short stories, Main-Travelled Roads, was published. This collection included "The Return of a Private" and served as an example of the type of literature that Garland sought to promote: realist fiction filled with authentic regional details. Garland moved to Chicago in 1893 and continued to write fiction and essays about the importance of realism in American literature. He published his first novel, Rose of Dutcher's Coolly, in 1895. Garland published a well-received biography of Ulysses S. Grant in 1898 and married Zulime Taft, the sister of a famous sculptor, the following year. Garland continued to write stories and novels set in the Midwest and Great Plains, sometimes focusing on the lives of farmers and white settlers and sometimes writing about the Native Americans of the region. In 1915, he moved to New York City and began to write more about his life and his family's history. Notable works and awards: In 1922, Garland was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Biography for his book A Daughter of the Middle Border. Later life: Garland wrote two more works that delved into his family's history before moving to Hollywood, California, in 1929. Death: He died in Hollywood in 1940.

Literary Reaction:

In the years after the Civil War, American writers recognized the changes that had taken place and were continuing to take place in their country. The ugly realities of the war and its aftermath, along with the challenges faced by people in different parts of the country, called for new ways of writing. In order to depict America and Americans accurately and effectively, writers of this period developed realism, regionalism, and naturalism. These three literary movements broke with the Romantic traditions of the early 1800s.

Reconstruction:

In the years after the Civil War, the United States government faced the central issue of how to deal with the defeated Confederate states and their citizens. The difficult tasks of Reconstruction included: Rebuilding towns and reestablishing order Ensuring respect for the rights of freed slaves in southern states Resolving the problems that resulted in the Civil War Many southerners resented the federal government's efforts during Reconstruction. Lincoln did not believe secession was possible. From the start of the war, his goal was to save the Union and then reunite the country as quickly as possible, allowing almost all southerners to return to the Union without punishment. But some northerners favored punishing the South. They argued that the South has started the war and should not be allowed back into teh Union so easily. In the South, violence erupted against "carpetbaggers"—the southern name for northerners who benefited from Reconstruction—and against former slaves. Although the union had survived its greatest test, the unity of the nation was tenuous.

Regionalism:

One outgrowth of realism was regionalism. Regionalist literature represents a geographic region's distinct language, customs, traditions, and manners America, a country that was growing quickly in size in the 1800s, had a number of distinct regions. The lives of people in one region were often different from the lives of people in other regions. Regional differences made America a natural place for regionalism to gain popularity.

Realism:

Realism is the faithful representation of reality in literature, and this style of writing was predominant in America following the Civil War. Realist stories contain characters, settings, and events that are depicted in ways that readers can recognize and relate to. Realist works rarely contain supernatural elements, and realist writers avoid emotion and sentimentality, striving instead for the factual accuracy commonly associated with journalism.Does this sound unremarkable? That's because realism remains a popular form of literature. In the mid-nineteenth century, however, realism was revolutionary. Before the Civil War, romanticism dominated American literature. Recall that the Romantics believe that individuals have the potential to perfect themselves and the ability to overcome any challenge or problem. Not so the realists. Realists reject the romantic idea that individuals have the power to decide their fates. Realists focus instead on how outside forces, events, and circumstances affect people.

Growth and Expansion:

The strength and unity of America were also tested by expansion in the second half of the nineteenth century. From 1850 to 1900, the population of the United States more than tripled. Fifteen states were added to the union. Most of these states were in the Midwest, the Great Plains, and the West. Who lived in these regions? Most of the inhabitants were Displaced Native Americans Southerners who had lost their property during the war Northerners and immigrants seeking new opportunities There were unique challenges in each region, and the people developed viewpoints and desires based on their experiences. Although America was one country, it was not a place where all citizens had the same concerns and needs.

Relationship Among Realism, Regionalism, and Naturalism:

Though regionalism and naturalism are outgrowths of realism , all three types of literature share some characteristics. And a single work can have qualities of more than one literary movement. For example, a work may contain both naturalist and regionalist elements. You will be looking for elements of these literary movements as you read the works in this unit.

The Cost of the Civil War:

the Civil War, fought from 1861 to 1865, cost over 600,000 soldiers their lives. In a country of 31 million people, this was a staggering number. Yet there were other, farreaching negative aspects of the war, including: Many thousands of civilian deaths Serious injuries to countless soldiers and civilians Massive displacement of people Widespread destruction of property, such as the utter destruction of Atlanta in 1864 by order of Union General William T. Sherman The brutality of the war shocked soldiers and civilians alike on both sides of the conflict.