Realism, Regionalism & Mark Twain

Realism

A form of literature based on ordinary people, with and average life. Their habits, manners, etc are observed. Realist writers are Daniel Defoe and Geroge Eliot. Realist writes looked at local manners very closely and aimed at a "very minute fidelity" to the common course of basic life. The subjects of realist writers often came from "the slums" and could be people such as shop girls, prostitutes, and poor factory workers.

Regionalism

A form of literature like realism, but it is based on ordinary people in a certain region. It is often unrealistic or exaggerated compared to realism. Regional writers include Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Romantic Novel

At the time, the typical romantic novel presented readers with lives lived by characters at an idealistic level. For example, novels written by James Fennimore Cooper engaged the reader in romantic adventures filled with acts of courage. Also, the novels possessed "daring chases, and exciting escapes."

Stephen Crane

Wrote The Red Badge of Courage, novel that best portrays the war

Herman Melville

Pessimistic writer compared to Whitman. Wrote very dark poems about the war. His writing expressed humanity's most basic form of evil; war

Mark Twain

Best known regional writer Early Life: -born as Samuel Langhorne Clemens on Nov. 30, 1835 -Parents: John Clemens and Jane Lampton -Family store failed, and the family moved to Hannibal Missouri, which became his home from years 5-18. -His education and "carefree boyhood" came to an end when his father died in 1847. At 11, Sam worked for his brother who started a newspaper in hopes of supporting their mother. -When he turned 18, for the next 15 years her worked as a printer in St. Louis, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, and Iowa towns of Muscatine and Keokuk. -He then apprenticed himself to the greatest of steamboat pilots, Horace Bixby -During the Civil war, Twain was a short time soldier, but soon abandoned military life for a gold prospector in Nevada. Despite not finding much gold, Twain found his talent of humor and comical writing. -In 1862 he took a job as a reporter for Territorial Enterprise -Married Olivia Langdon -In 1871 he moved to Hartford CT and build a huge house -In 1896 his daughter died and his wife developed an illness, she passed in 1904, and his last daughter died of a seizure in 1909, and 4 months later he was dead too. Writing: -Humorous and comical writer, however best known realist -Best novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn -The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County -The Innocents Abroad -Roughing It -The Atlantic Monthly -Life on the Mississippi -The Adventures of Tom Sawyer -A CT Yankee -King Arthurs Court -Pudd'nhead Wilson Life Experience: -Started at 11 working at a newspaper company -For 15 years he worked as a printer -Spent a short time in the military -Gold Prospector -Reporter for Territorial Enterprise

Ernest Hemingway

Intended to bring back useful material from observing the war to use in a novel, but failed because the only novels existing at the time were romantic, or fiction. The literature at the time had not developed enough to handle such a strong topic.

Whitman

Supporter of the war and respected the South for their will to fight. Optimistic writer that focused on the life of the solider and the dauntlessness he saw in battle. His writing focused on bravery and heroism.