Beyond Realism: The New Realism

real characters

Stories that focused on regional settings typically emphasized the wisdom and good nature of the people who lived there. The characters were colorful and unforgettable--as much because of how they spoke as for what they said. The themes of Regionalism tended to promote the idea that human wit and intelligence can be found everywhere and that Americans should appreciate and enjoy the differences among them

charlotte perkins gilman

The Yellow Wallpaper was equally complex. it took naturalisms emphasis on environment to an extreme, exposing the effect of isolation and confinement on a patient recovering from mental illness. she presented depression realistically and sympathetically.

laws of nature

The reason these stories seem pessimistic is because their protagonists are often at the mercy of an uncaring, arbitrary, and sometimes cruel-seeming set of rules. Naturalism is closely related to Darwin's theories about natural selection--in a Naturalistic story, only the "fit" survive, and sometimes

the seneca falls convention

What happened in 1848 to organize and motivate the women's suffrage movement?

Stephen Crane

died young because of tuberculosis at 28, but he still had a lasting effect on american literature. he wrote realistically about soldiers, sailors and prostitutes. his unsettling representations of human nature were complex and often ambiguous, forcing readers to find their own meaning in his work.

regionalism

inspiring stories that incorporated humor to a large degree. describing ordinary people of a particular region in realistic detail while exploring their unique points of view. an element in literature that conveys a realistic portrayal of a specific geographical locale, using the locale and its influences as a major part of the plot

Mark Twain

possibly the centuries most influential author and used his considerable wit and wisdom to bring regional perspectives to life. his depictions of every kind of character from cheating gamblers, to young world travelers, to escaped slaves helped define the american spirit helped define the american spirit of acceptance, ingenuity and diversity.

Kate Chopin

stories are full of characters caught between their own expectations and desires. the women in her stories chose to express themselves and live independently even if it means losing everything else in life

local color

stories written in the tradition of regionalism tended to dig deep into the details of life in the country's far-flung communities. writers emphasized aspects of setting that were unique to a region, such as endless fields of prairie grass or dusty main streets flanked by saloons and general stores. sympathetic but realistic portrayals of characters in these regions seemed to appeal to most american readers, who wanted to see the nation united in the wake of the Civil War.

naturalism

striking a much more serious and pessimistic tone. the belief that humans are mostly controlled by their environments or a mixture of environment and heredity rather than being free to forge their own destinies.

american exceptionalism

the belief that the united states is a unique country in which anything might be possible

Early Feminism

the women's rights movement really gained steam at the start of the 20th century, eventually resulting in the passage of the 19th amendment, which guaranteed female americans the right to vote. women writers of the era were concerned about other realities too, besides the lack of women's suffrage. they wrote about women's lives in ways that conveyed the oppression that women experienced on many different fronts--economic, domestic, and legal.

a few highly visible americans lived lives of incredible luxury whole most of the country loved dull, ordinary lives, often in poverty

what did mark twain mean when he called the early 20th century "the gilded age"?

they were forced onto ever smaller parcels of land

what effect did policies related to manifest destiny have on native american populations?

the progressive movement

what movement began in response to the excesses of the gilded age?

it inspired authors to explore the unusually diverse mix of cultures that made up the country

what role did american exceptionalism play in establishing regionalism as a literary movement?

it was used to justify the settlement of all the land between the east and west coasts

what role did americans' belief in manifest destiny play in the "closing" of the western frontier?

that all species, including humans, have evolved through the natural selection of positive traits

what was the theory argued by charles darwin in his 1859 book on the origin of species?

its delightful diversity, region to region

which characteristic of american society was emphasized by works of regionalism?

naturalism

which literary movement was most influenced by the work of charles darwin?

naturalism

which philosophy was the most "natural" fit for stories written by early feminist authors?

the belief that the US is vastly different from any other nation on the earth

which phrase best describes american exceptionalism?

power and privilege come to people who are naturally better and stronger

which was a main claim of proponents of "social darwinism"?

early feminist writers used literature to expose the differences between men and women in terms of freedom and opportunity--and the negative effects of the differences. naturalism, with its emphasis on the power of a person's environment to shape her life, helped early feminists illustrate the harm done to women's spirits by the constraints of society and its rules.

why might naturalism serve as a more useful tool than regionalism for early feminist writers?

naturalism

A nineteenth-century literary movement that was an extension of realism and that claimed to portray life exactly as it was. A style and theory of representation based on the accurate depiction of detail.

the opening of the transcontinental railroad

Which development contributed most to the closing of the American frontier?